Retribution
by Trickmaster42
Summary: In the months following The Great Thaw, joyous times are brought to Arendelle. But a sudden shift in power in the Southern Isles draws Elsa and the rest of her kingdom into a situation that could be deadly for her, Anna, and countless others. A story of tragedy, sacrifice, and an action-packed high-seas adventure. (Now a multi-part story).
1. Chapter 1 - Assassination

**A/N:** This story is split up into multiple sections, with each section continuing in an overall arc but each having a distinct plot within the story. The first section covers chapters 1-32 and is titled **Retribution**.

Enjoy!

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**_Part 1 - Retribution_**

Chapter 1 - Assassination

_August 14th, 1793_

"... but consider the opportunity it would have been for our kingdom!" the twenty year old prince explained. Even though he was the youngest of all the men in the chamber, he was a confident man, and not afraid to defend himself vocally. "If my plan had succeeded, the Southern Isles would have gained considerable influence in the region. Eventually, total control of their kingdom would have belonged to us, and us alone! With our power spreading that far afield, even the British might begin to consider us a growing force worthy of greater respect..."

"Enough!"

The voice coming from the man seated at the head of the council chamber resounded through the room with an echo. King Andor, the oldest of the men in the room, did not seem at all impressed with the reasoning behind the actions of the man who stood before him.

"We are already aware of the _justification_ you have come up with in an attempt to explain your deplorable actions, and our opinion on the matter has not changed." Andor, referring to the other eleven men at the table where he was sitting, glanced quickly from left to right, implying that the decision was shared amongst all those present. "We have considered many proposals from others regarding the annexing of kingdoms farther up north and have rejected them all! We do not feel that it would be safe to attempt such duplicitous expansion at this time, nor do we see these actions becoming worthy of consideration again any time in the near future! Do I make myself clear?"

The young prince, who had remained silent during the King's outburst, stood his ground and stared directly at Andor, his eldest brother, with determination. When he was younger he would often feel intimidated by Andor, knowing he would one day rule the Southern Isles, and always knowing that he himself would never get the opportunity to be in command, or even second in command, of a kingdom. Now that his eldest brother was in this position of authority, he should have perhaps felt even more subservient under his gaze, especially after being directly rebuked, but he didn't. Even in this public display of humiliation, he felt defiant enough to refuse answering Andor's question. At least for the first time.

"Hans!" Andor yelled as he quickly stood up to loom over his younger brother before he repeated his inquiry. "Do I make myself clear?"

Despite the anger boiling within him, directed not only at his eldest brother, but also those who had been the instrument of his failure in that wretched far-off kingdom, Hans decided to give Andor the answer he had been expecting.

"Perfectly... Your Majesty." He spat out in a dark tone that was anything but respectful.

Hans stood there, trembling with rage as Andor sat back down to continue the lecture he had prepared for his youngest brother, convinced that the other eleven men on the council, his other eleven brothers, were all in complete agreement with what he had to do next.

Andor was not relishing the prospect of having to punish Hans so severely, but the crimes he committed were border-lining treason since Hans knew Andor was opposed to actions similar to what he had done. That's why he had given Hans one final chance to explain himself before the council of his brothers. To perhaps show some sign of regret for taking violent action against another kingdom behind his own King's back. But when he began to spew his plans for expansion once again, Andor knew that regret over his actions had not once entered Hans' mind during his long and disgraceful trip back to the Southern Isles. This made the harshness of his punishment all the more necessary, but at the same time, made it all the more painful for Andor.

But he was the King. And this was something he had to say.

"Hans," he began with a tone that was now completely formal and stern, "because of your actions 3 weeks ago in the Kingdom of Arendelle, in which you attempted to seize their throne through the assassination of members of their royal family, an act which has subsequently _severely_ damaged relations between Arendelle and the Southern Isles, you are hereby stripped of your title of Prince, and are sentenced to a period of no less than five, and no more than ten years of confinement in the dungeon. "

To Andor's surprise, Hans did not at all look concerned by the mention of a minimum of five year prison sentence. He simply continued to stand in the middle of the chamber, eyes fixed on him.

"You are lucky that Arendelle and its allies have not declared war against us for the severity of your crimes." Andor continued. He then looked towards the double doors at the back of the council chamber. "Guards!" He yelled, as the doors swung open and two men wearing silver armour and carrying pikes entered the room.

Hans turned to look over his shoulder at them as they approached and Andor gave his orders.

"Take him to the dungeon." Andor ordered, with far less of a commanding tone than he had been speaking with just a few seconds earlier. He was distraught by the harsh way he had been forced to treat Hans, his little brother. For even though Hans had done something terrible and deserved punishment, Andor still loved him, with a part of himself feeling that perhaps it was his fault that Hans had turned out to be the man he was now. Devious, rebellious, and not ashamed to have almost been a murderer.

As Hans was escorted slowly out of the council chamber, he said nothing. A quick glance to some of his brothers sitting at the table was all he provided before he was taken into the hallway. Andor did not look as he left because it was too painful for him to watch. The remainder of the eleven brothers sat quietly as they watched Hans intently before the doors were once again closed.

Silence was all that followed for a few moments, but the stillness of the room was disrupted as Rasmus, the man to Andor's right and the second eldest of the brothers, stood up from his seat.

"If you would excuse me Your Majesty, I have a meeting with the Coronan ambassador." Rasmus stated calmly as the others in the room, including Andor, were jolted out of their quiet state and reminded that other business had to be conducted for the day.

"Of course." Replied Andor, signaling to Rasmus that he had permission to leave the chambers and attend to his meeting.

As Rasmus walked across the room and out the same doors Hans was taken through, Andor began speaking to his other brothers, trying to focus solely on his duties as King and put his dealing with Hans behind him, at least for the moment.

"I suggest now we move on to discussing the trade negotiations with Weselton. As you know, they were also cut off from all business with Arendelle following the events of three weeks ago." Reminded yet again of the mess Hans had made of regional affairs, but Andor quickly shoved the thought aside. "Considering what happened, I can somewhat understand Arendelle's Queen for reacting in such a way, however we need to consider how this will affect our commerce. Weselton is offering increased trade between our kingdom and theirs, as well as offering to put in a good word with several other kingdoms they do business with, in order to compensate for the loss we have both suffered."

The rest of the brothers on the council sat and listened to the King. Andor felt that they were most likely feeling concern about dealing more heavily in trade with Weselton. Considering the deadly part they played in the events in Arendelle, it was conceivable that Weseslton could therefore be capable of stabbing the Southern Isles in the back if it benefited them. However, the risk would have to be taken in order to make up for the loss of trade.

"I realize that we might not all be comfortable with increasing our relations with Weselton," Andor reassured, hoping to show his brothers that he understood the risks, "but considering the alternative is an economic disaster, I feel we are left with no alternative..."

Andor was cut off by the opening of the doors to the council chamber. Striding confidently through the door was Rasmus, with four guards accompanying him. Before he made it half way towards the table where the other brothers sat, Andor spoke up.

"Rasmus? You've... already finished your meeting with the ambassador?" Andor asked, with curiosity in his voice, but not as to why Rasmus' supposed meeting had gone so quickly, but as to why his brother was storming into the chamber with four armed men.

"No, brother." Rasmus replied, his voice deep and without emotion.

Stopping mere feet from the opposite side of the table where Andor was sitting, Rasmus gave a single glance to Dagmar, the third oldest of the brothers, who quickly stood up and pulled a short-sword from under his cloak and pointed it at Andor. In a flash five more of the brothers sitting around the table quickly stood up, each with swards drawn, pointing them at Andor and the remaining four princes who each bore a face that painted utter shock.

The King, speechless from shock and unable to move due to the weaponry pointed in his direction, stared art Rasmus who had now drawn a sword of his own and was motioning the four guards to take pre-determined positions around the room.

"What do you think you're doing?" Andor asked Rasmus after regaining some of his composure. He had a hard time believing that Hans was capable of betraying his trust the way that he had recently, but he never would have imagined that seven more of his brothers would suddenly turn on him in such a manner. Especially Rasmus, his second in command.

"Isn't it obvious?" Said Rasmus, showing a slight amount of arrogance but still having very little emotion in his voice. He looked casually around the room and then directly at Andor. "Out of the twelve of us here, I count seven on my side. Not counting these guards here as well as the rest of our military force, whom you will find are all no longer taking orders from you. Either way, you seem to be outnumbered in this council at the moment."

Andor couldn't believe what he was hearing. Rasmus had this planned out in advance? The military was already behind whatever action he was about to take? It was so incredulous that it all seemed like it was an elaborate practical joke for a second.

"You can't be serious Rasmus!" Andor exclaimed. "What are you attempting to accomplish by pulling this stunt?"

"Stunt?!" Rasmus yelled. "Am I serious?! I assure you, I am very serious about this! As all of us who are standing now will attest to, we have thought long and hard about this, and we have come to the only conclusion that we can make!"

"And what would that be, brother?" Andor replied, spitting the word 'brother' out harshly at the end of his sentence.

Just then, Hans walked slowly into the council chamber, smugly tugging at his cuffs to re-adjust his coat as he walked up to stand beside Rasmus. A smile was present on his face, one that Andor had never seen on any of his brothers before. A sneer that embodied malevolence.

"The determination that you are no longer fit as the ruler of the Southern Isles." Rasmus replied, knowing Hans was now standing beside him, but not lifting his gaze off of Andor. "As you're so fond of encouraging us to think of this council as somewhat of a democracy, despite the fact that you are still the King, we have decided to exercise that right. And you..." Rasmus raised his sword to Andor's chin, poking slightly at his flesh. "...have been voted out."

It's true that Andor had encouraged that. He felt that his brothers had always provided wonderful ideas in council meetings. That was why he would often call for votes amongst the thirteen of them in order to decide upon certain things. Perhaps it was that weakness, which Andor had always thought of as a method of fair ruling, that had lead to the situation he was now in, being held at the end of a sword by his own brother.

Hans began to walk around the left side of the table, smile still on his face, as Andor asked Rasmus, "So what now? Do you plan to kill me? Take the throne? Dispose of all others who won't join your coup?"

"No." Rasmus replied. Calmly but coldly as he leaned back, removing the sword from its proximity to Andor's neck. "I don't plan to kill you or anyone else if necessary. After all, I'm motivated by what I feel is best for this kingdom. I'm not the one with revenge on my mind."

Suddenly, Andor felt a hand on his left shoulder and a sharp pain in his back. It was so sudden and unexpected that he did not know what it was at first. Then, another tearing ache as the hand on his shoulder pulled him back and into the source of the pain, which was now protruding from his chest.

"But I am!" Came a voice from behind. It was Hans, now leaning right over Andor and whispering into his ear. As Andor looked down in shock, he saw the serrated edge of a bloody knife sticking out of his front. The pain overcoming him as gushing blood began to stain his shirt, he barely had the strength to look up once again at Rasmus.

"That doesn't mean I'm not willing to get my hands dirty... when deadly force is required." Rasmus explained, as he looked up from Andor, towards Hans, who then pulled the knife out of Andor's back with a violent tug and handed it to Rasmus.

Andor was now gasping for breath, barely able to keep his eyes upon Rasmus, who leaned very close towards Andor to continue his speech.

"When your legacy of a spineless rule has been washed away, when we reach out into the world to take what kingdoms we see fit to conquer, we will finally have the great nation that our father always intended us to have!" Rasmus hissed directly into Andor's face as he raised the bloodied knife which was seconds ago, in his back. "Your gutless rein will see its end at the tip of my blade!"

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**A/N:** Ok, I'm gonna give this a shot here. Perhaps at least one person out there will find this story interesting. It may start off slow, but I have plans for danger, excitement, and a _Pirates of the Caribbean -_esque ship battle. Hopefully you got hooked with the first chapter!


	2. Chapter 2 - Joyous Times

**A/N:** And here's chapter 2. I'll be adding the dates at the beginning of some chapters to help illustrate the passage of time through the story.

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Chapter 2 - Joyous Times

_April 5, 1794 _

"Joy. If I could choose one emotion to describe how I've felt in the past number of Months, it would be joy. I have been able to come out and see the world! I have been able to make friends, and strengthen bonds. I have been able to throw the fears of the past behind me so that I can be the queen I should be. And I have truly gotten to know the people of my kingdom. None of that, however, compares to the joy I am feeling now, here at my sister's wedding."

Elsa looked proudly over at her sister, Anna, sitting beside her newlywed husband, Kristoff, as she concluded the opening of her speech. Both sisters were smiling and barely able to hold back tears as the crowd in the courtyard of the castle applauded. After giving a quick smile to the crowd, she looked back at Anna and Kristoff to continue what she had planned to say to each of them.

"Kristoff," she began with a soft and loving voice, "you are quite possibly the kindest, and gentlest man I know." Despite Kristoff's burly appearance, Elsa spoke the truth. She always thought of him as a great big teddy bear. A strong and intimidating outward appearance, but deeply considerate and caring on the inside. "When I first met you nine months ago, I could never have imagined that you would have become one of my closest friends. You've put yourself in danger numerous times in order to protect myself, Anna, and Arendelle as a whole. You always know what to do or say in order to cheer one of us up. And most importantly, through thick and thin, you've always been by Anna's side. I know she's in good hands. And I'm proud to be able to consider you part of my family."

"Thank you Your Majesty." Replied Kristoff, who had decided to address Elsa using her title in this public setting even though he would normally call her by name, something Elsa herself told him to do. He was somewhat embarrassed by the attention given directly to him, but at the same time, honored to know that Elsa held him in such high regard. He had no intention of letting the queen down by allowing any harm to ever come to Anna. He realized now that this was his new duty, and he would carry it out as long as he lived.

Elsa then directed her attention to Anna who had been sitting patiently and politely through this entire after-wedding ceremony, something Elsa found a bit difficult to believe given her energetic nature. Perhaps she was too nervous to be bouncing around... that must be it.

"Anna, you have been my sister for nineteen years now. Although I've only really gotten to know you again in the past few months, one thing I've always known about you is that you are an unwaveringly good and loving person."

Anna now found it impossible to stop herself from releasing a few tears as Elsa continued.

"You've been my support, and my conscience during these recent times. You've always been eager to help me out, and you've shown more patience with me than I think I could have ever shown if I were in your place." Elsa had always thought that about her. That Anna was far more patient than she could ever be. Even in the years they were separated, Anna never stopped wanting to spend time with her. She never stopped trying to reconnect with Elsa even though she was continuously being shut-out. "I now know just how much love you've shown to me. And I know that you have that same amount of unconditional love for Kristoff."

Elsa now started to address both of them. "Each of you have shown each other that you will always stand by the other no matter what, and you truly, wholeheartedly are the perfect match for each other."

Elsa stood up and raised her voice, "And so It gives me great pleasure, as queen of Arendelle, to wish you both a bright future, filled with prosperity..." She stifled a chuckle as she concluded her speech. "...and a plethora of crazy adventures." Anna, Kristoff and the rest of the crowd giggled, knowing full well that new 'crazy adventures' were always popping up for the two of them. They weren't always safe adventures, but it was their ability to make the best of them that was part of what made their relationship unique.

"To the bride and groom!" Elsa announced, her glass held high.

The whole crowd applauded as Anna and Kristoff shared a kiss.

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After Elsa's formal speech, the music began and the celebration commenced. The entire courtyard within the walls of the castle was full of people. Decorations covered almost every surface. Both paper adornments hung by the castle's staff and ice sculptures created by Elsa brought life to the typically stark space.

People were moving all about the area, conversing with each other, partaking in refreshments and enjoying the music. Elsa was chatting with a number of dignitaries, who had taken the opportunity of the princess' wedding to arrive for business transactions, while Anna and Kristoff were sitting at a table with the young couple from the kingdom of Corona who had become close friends with the Arendelle royal family in recent months.

"So you're sure it's ok?" Anna asked.

"Of course it's ok! We'd be honored to have you both stay in Corona for a while." Replied Rapunzel. The princess of Corona and her husband Eugene had both arrived in Arendelle early for Anna and Kristoff's wedding. Her and Anna had become very close friends, bonding through their similar childhoods, both of which were rather confined. Eugene and Kristoff had also become close, as they too shared similar pasts. Neither of them coming from royalty, but both finding themselves very much in the middle of it after meeting the girls that would become their wives.

"Oh that's great!" Anna sighed, clearly relieved by the positive response. "Because we had no clue where to go. We thought we'd stay in Arendelle at first but then I figured, hey, I've been here all my life, I wanna have this someplace new. So then I thought we might go up to Elsa's Ice palace, but I remembered that there's no furniture, or food, or bathrooms... or anything at all in that castle... so that was out of the question. And then I thought, _ooooh,_ wouldn't it be great if we would go down to Corona? I've never been there and it would be nice and warm and romantic, yet comfortable because we knew people from there..."

Eugene and Rapunzel just let Anna go on. They knew she could go on for hours and hours sometimes, but these short little bursts of continuous speech were often entertaining. Fortunately, Anna stopped herself before her drabble moved out of the realm of 'cute' and into the area of 'annoying'. She was getting better at stopping herself during these times.

Kristoff was just sitting back, smiling as he watched Anna talk on. Her unique way of rambling was one of the things he loved about her. He also loved adding witty comments relating to what she said when her monologs came to a conclusion.

"That was literally her train of thought as we have been discussing this over the last couple of days... almost those words exactly." Kristoff stated. "By now I could probably recite it to you."

Eugene and Rapunzel giggled as Anna nudged Kristoff in the side of the stomach with her elbow. She knew he was joking, and he knew she hadn't taken any offense. Their closeness over the past number of months had allowed them to become comfortable with teasing each other about their habits.

Anna suddenly noticed that Elsa had been able to drag herself away from boring discussions with foreign dignitaries and she was eager to call her sister over to tell her the news.

"Ooh! Elsa! Over here!" she called.

Elsa walked over to the table where the four of them were sitting. She sat down, relieved that 'official' business was over and that she could now spend time with her newlywed sister.

"That was a beautiful speech Elsa." Rapunzel told the queen once she was seated.

"Thank you." Elsa replied. "It was from the heart."

"Elsa, guess what?" Anna started. "We've finally figured out where we're gonna go for our honeymoon." she exclaimed happily while holding onto Kristoff's arm.

"Oh, ok." Elsa replied, relived that a decision had been made. "Well I suppose I can head up to the Ice Palace early and try to figure out how to create furniture and a comfortable bed out of ice... I can even send some food up there from the castle..."

"No, no." Interrupted Anna. "We're not going to the Ice Palace."

"...Oh. Alright." responded Elsa.

There was silence for a second before Kristoff decided to chime in.

"Not that I wouldn't love to have it there..." He said. "You know how awesome I think that place is."

Elsa chuckled. "Yes, I do know that." She replied. It only made sense after all. Kristoff's life revolved around Ice. What place would he love more than a castle made of it?

"...but we've decided..." Anna interrupted again. "...to have our honeymoon in Corona! Rapunzel and Eugene said they're fine with it, and it just makes sense since we can head there when they leave to go back home."

"Oh, I see. That sounds lovely." Replied Elsa. "I'm sure you'll have a great time there. And probably a much more comfortable stay than you would have in my palace." She chuckled again, realizing how silly it would be for Anna and Kristoff to be sleeping on a bed made of solid ice.

"We'll make sure they are put up in a wonderful room, wont we Eugene." Rapunzel asked.

"Of course." Eugene added. "There's plenty of places to choose from. It won't be a problem."

"Great! It's settled then." Said Anna. "I can't wait!"

"Yeah, me too." Replied Kristoff. He was about to take Anna into an embrace when he noticed Sven and Olaf over his shoulder near the refreshments table. Olaf was balanced precariously on the end of Sven's nose, trying to get a drink out of the punch bowl. Many people were watching the reindeer and snowman from a distance, waiting for the clumsy disaster that usually followed their attempts at mingling during parties.

Kristoff started to rise from his seat as he watched his two mischievous friends in silent horror.

"I especially can't wait because it will be just the two of us... alone... with no pets to deal with." He told Anna as he stood up. "If you'll all excuse me."

Kristoff hastily made his way over to the refreshments table as Elsa, Anna, Rapunzel and Eugene held back their laughter. Kristoff was always trying to prevent Sven and Olaf from making a public scene, and many times, it was downright hilarious to watch.

The four of them turned back to face each other and continue their conversations when they suddenly heard Kristoff in the background yelling "Sven, Stop!" which was quickly followed by the sound of the punch bowl falling off the table and making a loud SPLOOSH. They couldn't hold it in anymore, and the four of them laughed out loud as they imagined Kristoff's current state of agitation.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Upcoming Voyage

Chapter 3 - The Upcoming Voyage

"How bout this one?"

"That's nice."

"Or maybe this one?"

"That works too."

Elsa was sitting patiently in Anna's room, watching as she frantically threw all the clothes in her wardrobe over the room, one by one. She was attempting to find the perfect thing to wear and had insisted that Elsa help her out. She felt that Elsa had a very keen fashion sense, considering that, in Anna's mind, Elsa always looked beautiful in whatever she was wearing at the time. Perhaps her older sister could help her look perpetually beautiful as well? Anna felt that it was a long shot, but it might happen.

"...or maybe I'll wear this one." Anna said, as she held up a dress that she had already considered and rejected numerous times.

"Anna?" Elsa asked with a weary smile, unable to watch as Anna changed her mind yet again. "You've looked at that particular dress three times now."

"Oh..." Anna replied and threw the dress over her shoulder into a growing pile of clothes. She then headed back into the wardrobe to get ready to pull out another article of clothing.

"You know, if you actually let me know the occasion for which you are selecting an outfit, I might be able to help you more effectively." Elsa stated, intending to be serious but also remaining amused by her sisters current state.

"Oh, right... Well I'm trying to pick something to wear on the boat." Replied Anna, her head now buried deep in her closet looking for something suitable.

"On the boat? Anna, It's only clothing for a sea voyage. You don't need to dress up like you're going to a fancy ball." Said Elsa, putting her hand to her head and holding back a laugh.

"Wait... what?" Anna popped her head out from the closet and stared at Elsa. "Oh..." Her sister just looked back at her with a smile. "Well I didn't know! I've never been on a boat trip before. I've barely even set foot on a boat before. You know how much I hate boats."

Elsa knew all too well why Anna had a dislike for boats and the open water. It was nearly four years ago now that their parents had met their untimely end at sea. Both girls had nightmares of the incident for years after they were informed about it. Back then it was even worse because they were unable to comfort each other due to their separation. Since they had been re-united, they had talked many times about their parents. Sometimes with happiness, sometimes with sadness, and occasionally with anger, but despite the troublesome past, they always knew they loved them, and missed them very much.

"I know." Elsa replied. "And you know I share your dislike for them, but it's the only way to keep Arendelle in contact with the rest of the world. They are a necessity."

"I know... and that's why I've decided to put my fear aside and get on one." Anna announced courageously. "Also, I didn't really have a choice. It's the only way to get to Corona." Her courage turning into embarrassment as she realized she was only doing this because she had to.

Elsa got up and walked over to put he hands on Anna's shoulders. "You're still being brave." She said. "It's not easy to face ones fears head-on like that. Believe me, I've been telling myself the exact same thing all afternoon now."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Asked Anna as Elsa let go of her shoulders and began to pace the room with her arms folded across her stomach. Anna recognized this as something Elsa did when she was uncomfortable or nervous about something.

"Anna," Elsa began. "I'll be coming with you on your trip to Corona."

Anna was confused and stood speechless for a few seconds. She knew Elsa hated boats, perhaps even more than she did, so why would she want to come on the long trip to Corona with her? Unless... oh no. She wasnt doing this again was she?

"Um, Elsa?" Anna asked timidly, but also slightly annoyed. "You're not coming along with me in order to try and ensure I stay safe are you?" Elsa looked up at Anna to try and explain, but was cut off before she opened her mouth. "Because... as much as I appreciate how much you care about me... I'm nineteen years old now... for goodness sake, I'm married now." Anna was not speaking harshly. In fact she was telling this to Elsa with a very soft voice, but she wanted to make sure Elsa understood how she felt about this. "I know you wanna be a good big sister and watch out for me, but I can take care of myself now. You don't have to be worried about me all of the time."

Elsa was almost in tears. She didn't expect Anna to assume that was her reasoning for wanting to come along. She moved back towards her sister again and took a hold of her hands.

"Oh Anna." She said as she held her sisters hands in her own. "First of all, I know you can take care of yourself now, but that doesn't stop me from being your sister, and as your sister I will be worrying about you all the time anyway."This time, Elsa continued before Anna could open her mouth. "However, over-protectiveness is not the reason I am joining you on this voyage."

Now Anna was holding back tears. Before both of them started to cry, she decided to continue the conversation. She was, after all, curious as to the real reason Elsa was willing to risk getting on a boat.

"Uh... well I assume you do have a good reason then?" She asked. "Oh who am I kidding, you probably have like two good reasons for wanting to come along."

Elsa let out a small giggle. "Three good reasons actually."

"Ha! Why am I not surprised." Anna said as the two broke their embrace. Anna went to sit on her bed while Elsa remained standing to list her reasons.

"Well first off," Elsa began, "I haven't taken a visit to Corona yet. The last time any monarch from Arendelle visited there was before I was born. It's long overdue and I might as well do it when you are on your way there anyway."

"Makes sense." Said Anna.

"Secondly, much like you, I want to get over my fear of boats and the water. Realistically, I'm going to be forced to travel by sea many times during my reign, whether for diplomatic or business related reasons. I want to get used to it and put those fears aside."

"Also makes sense."

"And finally..." Elsa continued, hesitating as she tried to figure out how to explain this. "As you know, the unexpected winter I caused last July ended up damaging many ships. Most of them have been repaired by now, but some of them were un-salvageable."

"Yeah," Anna replied, "I've seen the men working on the ships in the docks. I don't pay much attention to them, but I know they've been fixing them up for a while now."

Elsa went on. "Well what you may not have noticed is the brand new ship that was being built to make up for the loss of some of our other vessels."

Judging by Anna's facial expression, she had indeed not noticed the construction of this new ship. Hard to believe considering it was, by far, the largest vessel in the Arendelle navy, however Elsa knew Anna was not always the most perceptive person.

"I just had a meeting with the commander of our navy the other day, Captain Halvard. He told me that the new ship is now ready for launch... and that it would be appropriate if I accompanied it on its maiden voyage." Elsa concluded, giving a little shrug letting Anna know that there's nothing she could do about it. Even though she's queen and could refuse if she really wanted to, it was kind of expected of her. "it's our new flagship, so yeah... I don't really have much of a choice."

"Oh. Alright." Anna added, trying to take in everything Elsa had just told her. She began to realize that Elsa coming along would be nice. After all, they could spend more time together. "Well that's great actually! It's a long trip to Corona, four days right?"

"Actually, it should be only about a three day trip with the Boreas." Elsa corrected. "From what I'm told, it was designed to be a very fast ship."

"The Boreas?" Anna asked. "That's what it's called? Not the most interesting name... What does it even mean?"

"Boreas was a god in Greek mythology. The god of the 'north wind'. Said to control winter..." Said Elsa. One advantage of being by herself for most of her childhood was that she had plenty of time to learn things. As a result, she was well read. She spent a lot of time reading history books and other interesting works from the library.

"Well I suppose that's kind of appropriate" Anna commented. She got back up off her bed and walked towards her wardrobe again, resuming her search for appropriate clothing. "You have to admit, the 'god of winter' makes an appropriate flagship for the 'snow queen'."

"I suppose." Elsa sighed. She didn't really want other kingdoms to be reminded of her powers if she visited them. Having the name it did, the Boreas might just intimidate other nations even further... and intimidation was something Elsa did not want to be associated with her powers.

"So then," Anna began, her head once again buried her wardrobe. "Are you gonna ask Rapunzel and Eugene if they wanna head back to Corona with us on the Boreas instead of taking their own ship back?"

"Yes, I was going to do that." Replied Elsa. "I'm sure they'd like to. Also, it would actually get them home faster than if they took their ship."

"Great! That just means I have one more question." Anna said, grunting as she pulled another dress from her closet for Elsa to see. "What do you think about this one?"

Elsa put her hand up to her mouth as she laughed, and then walked forward to continue assisting Anna with finding the perfect traveling clothes.


	4. Chapter 4 - Strength In Darkness

Chapter 4 - Strength In Darkness

It was late evening in the capitol of the Southern Isles. Prince Marcus and Prince Stefan strode through a hallway in the main castle towards the council chamber to meet with the King who had summoned them at this time. The torches on the walls provided poor illumination as they walk to their destination, leaving dark patches along the walls. They had both walked this corridor hundreds of times so they were not concerned with the lack of light.

"The commander of the navy has been asking questions." Marcus commented as they continued walking.

"Really? What kind of questions?" Stefan replied, in a tone that suggested he was not surprised to hear this information.

"He is curious about why the King has decided to put them on full alert without telling them why. He's just itching to know what's going on."

"I don't blame him. Personally, I don't think it's wise to keep the military in the dark regarding political decisions."

"Yet in darkness, there can be strength." came a voice from behind them. Out of one of the dark patches in the hallway, Hans appeared, polishing a knife with his handkerchief.

Marcus and Stefan both stopped and turned around to look at Hans as he walked closer, putting away the knife and passing between them. He moved a few steps ahead of where they were standing and turned to face them.

"There can be considerable advantage in leaving certain information in a need-to-know basis, wouldn't you agree?" He said. He then turned to walk down the hallway, towards the council chamber. Marcus and Stefan glanced quickly at each other and then followed their younger brother.

To say that Hans had changed after his ordeal in Arendelle nine months ago would be an understatement. To many of the remaining brothers, Hans had seemed to go from the winey youngest brother, to a silent and creepy psychopath. No one knew if it was the humiliation he had received from their former King, Andor, months ago, or if it was the fact that he was spending an unusual amount of time with Rasmus recently. Either way, Marcus and Stefan were both constantly creped out by the new personality of their youngest brother.

* * *

King Rasmus stood in the middle of the council chamber. The room was more empty than it usually was, with only three of his brothers in seats at the semi-circular table at the back of the room, and four guards standing off to the sides of the chamber. Rasmus, a man who was tall and thin yet still fit and a capable fighter, was looking up towards the large tapestry that displayed the crest of the Southern Isles at the back of the room.

"Unity has always been a problem for our kingdom." he began as he scanned over the image of multiple islands that made up the lower portion of the crest on the tapestry. "The very nature of the Southern Isles' geography makes it impossible to consolidate our kingdom into a singular region of power. Separated by water, the parts of our nation are divided, even though politically, we are one entity. And this is why the other great kingdoms of Europe have always viewed us as fragmented. They see that fragmentation as a weakness."

He looked down now to his brothers who sat at the table before him. "But that viewpoint is soon to be erased. We are about to show the world that our fragmentation is not a weakness. It is a strength. A symbol of the reach in which our influence extends. And it is about to begin extending farther."

Rasmus turned to the doors of the council chamber to see Hans, and then Marcus and Stefan enter the room. Hans bowed briefly then immediately walked over to stand behind the center seat of the table, Rasmus' seat.

"Ah brothers," Rasmus greeted, addressing Marcus and Stefan. "join us."

The two princes walked closer to the center of the room but did not take their seats at the table with their other bothers. Rasmus continued to speak.

"What's the status of our military?" Rasmus asked.

"They await your orders, Your Majesty.". Marcus replied, but ended his sentence as though it was unfinished. Rasmus noticed.

"And?" He asked.

"And they will follow whatever orders you give them." Concluded Marcus.

"I should hope so." Said Rasmus as he turned around and started walking towards his seat. "Because we cannot hope to extend our influence further if we cannot stand united in the territory we already control."

Stefan decided to speak up, partially so that he could give the commander of the navy the answers he had been seeking, but also partially for his own curiosity.

"They will carry out your orders brother, but they require some information on your... intentions." Stefan commented, boldly at first, but somewhat intimidated by the time he finished what he was saying.

Rasmus, who had halted walking to his seat and turned around to face his brother as he spoke, decided to respond kindly to his brother's doubts and smiled at him.

"And they will get their information." He replied. "You can tell the commanders that the wait is over. The stagnation of the Southern Isles is coming to an end. We are about to begin expanding once again."

Rasmus turned once again and continued walking over to his chair.

"How many ships will you need to carry out the first part of your plan?" Marcus asked, assuming that Rasmus had already prepared a detailed list of military campaigns he wished to carry out. Since the primary might of the Southern Isles was in its navy, it seemed reasonable that the vast majority of his plans would take place on the sea.

"None." Rasmus replied.

Both Marcus and Stefan looked at him, confused and unsure if they understood the King.

"None?" Questioned Marcus. "Surely you will need at least a few vessels for what you have planned. The entire navy is at your disposal. You need only tell them what to do."

"The Odin will serve my needs." Responded Rasmus casually, as he took his seat.

"One ship?" Marcus asked.

Rasmus now rose his voice, agitation evident in his tone. "I have planned this all out well in advance Marcus. Are you questioning my judgement?"

"Not at all, Your Majesty." Marcus replied with a bow.

"I thought not." Said Rasmus. "You are both dismissed."

Marcus and Stefan both left the chamber, too afraid to make any more comments and to eager to be out of that room. The doors closed behind them as Rasmus turned to face Hans and Dagmar who were to his right.

"Is everything ready?" He asked.

"Yes Your Majesty." Dagmar replied.

"Excellent. The time of our retribution is at hand." Rasmus replied. He leaned back in his char and looked towards the ceiling of the chamber. "Our first expansion in many years... And it begins with Arendelle."


	5. Chapter 5 - Departure

**A/N:** Back to Arendelle for this chapter. Here we have the adventure finally beginning! Keep in mind that I probably won't update a new chapter every day. One every two or three days is more likely. So far I have 8 chapters written but I like to keep a buffer between _what I've released_ and _where I've written_ in case minor revisions are needed.

Also, feel free to post reviews! I read them all and am happy to know what you think of the story so far.

Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 5 - Departure

_April 7, 1794_

Just two days after the wedding, Elsa, Anna and Kristoff were walking across the causeway that led from Arendelle's main castle to the town where the docks were located. As they left the castle's gates, many people were wishing them a safe voyage, and encouraging them to have fun on their trip. All present were hoping it would go considerably better than the last voyage an Arendelle royal family had taken, which was in the backs of everyone's minds.

A few of the castle's staff were accompanying them on the trip. Currently, they were following behind the three royals helping them carry their belongings to the Boreas. Elsa brought very little with her. She took a few books and some paperwork that could be caught up on during the three day crossing, but she ended up packing very little clothing since she tended to make most of her own garments these days. Much like Elsa, Kristoff also packed light. This largely stemmed from his life in the mountains where he had few possessions anyway. Even though he was now living in the castle and had access to much more than he ever had in the past, he still tended to live a minimalist lifestyle and take only what was necessary.

Anna, on the other hand, appeared to have brought her whole wardrobe with her. Giving up on deciding what closes to bring, she pretty much just brought everything, easily twice as much as what both Elsa and Kristoff had packed, combined.

"I don't understand why you needed to bring so much stuff." Kristoff complained to Anna, as she carried his one bag while he was carrying four of hers.

"Hey, I need to be prepared for anything." She replied. "Besides, there will be plenty of room for it on the ship. Elsa decided to let the two of us share the big cabin while she takes the second one."

"Really? She's letting us use the captain's suite? I don't know if..." Kristoff was about to suggest they let Elsa take it anyway, but as he glanced over the four bags he was carrying as well as the many other cases being hauled out to the docks by the castle staff, he decided to leave things alone. "You know what, never mind. We will probably need the space."

Elsa was the first of the three of them to arrive at the slip where the Boreas was docked. She stopped and looked up at the vessel. This was the first time she had really given the ship a good look. It was an impressive sight. Almost two-hundred feet long, the Boreas was a three-masted galleon with five decks and was armed with fifty-two cannons. Her hull was painted dark green and accented with purple markings, the two official colours of Arendelle. Although Elsa had a disdain for ships, she could still appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the brand new vessel.

"Good morning, Your Majesty." came a voice to her left, snapping Elsa out of her own thoughts.

Captain Halvard, the commander of the Arendelle navy, was standing on the dock to greet her. A man in his late forties, Halvard was an intelligent and capable commander. He had a great deal of sailing and combat experience, something that could easily be gathered by his imposing figure. However, much like Kristoff, he was a kind and gentle man on the inside. He had been one of Elsa's closest advisers following the Great Thaw and had grown to become somewhat of a father figure to both her and Anna.

"I'm glad that you've decided to come along on the maiden voyage of the Boreas." He said.

"You were correct to suggest it Captain. It's something I really should do."

"Well I assure you I will do everything I can to make the voyage to Corona a safe and pleasant one. Would you like me to help you on board?"

"No, I think I'll be fine." Elsa replied. She turned to see Anna and Kristoff now walking along the dock towards them. Kristoff seemed to be struggling with Anna's luggage. "I believe Mr. Bjorgman requires your help more than I do at the moment."

"Ah, yes.. I would agree." Said Halvard as he noticed the number of things Kristoff was carrying. He took his leave of the queen as he went over to offer his assistance.

Elsa continued towards where the gangplank leading up to the Boreas met the dock. She paused for a moment at its base and looked up its length.

_This is it._ She thought to herself. _I'm actually getting on a boat... No point being afraid anymore, because it's going to happen whether I fear it or not. _

She felt very much like she had during her coronation, right before she grabbed the orb and scepter. She was panicking on the inside, but she knew she couldn't show it on the outside. A trickle of frost started to form on the ground around her. Elsa noticed it, but decided to ignore it as she finally mustered her courage and began walking up the gangplank. She didn't look down or to the side as she rose to the deck. Looking forward and ignoring all feelings for the time being, Elsa reached the top of the deck and let out a deep breath as several of the Boreas' crew members bowed and greeted her.

Meanwhile, Captain Halvard had relieved Kristoff of half of the items he was carrying, making it much easier for him to manage. He then led Anna and the castle staff, who had the rest of her belongings, along the dock and up the plank to the Boreas.

Kristoff stopped on the dock for a quick rest as Eugene walked up to stand beside him.

"I see she likes to pack light." Eugene teased.

Kristoff watched as some men aboard the Boreas began to help carry Anna's numerous pieces of luggage up the gangplank and onto the deck.

"...yeah..." Was Kristoff's only reply. Eugene chuckled and lightly shook his head in amusement.

"Where's Rapunzel?" Kristoff asked, trying to put the soreness in his arms out of his mind.

"She's already on board. She's been eager to explore the ship ever since Elsa told us we could head home on it instead of our own."

"Anna's been curious too. I think her desire to explore is overpowering her fear of the ocean in this instance."

"Well they're both gonna have a lot of time to find every nook and cranny on that ship during the trip." Eugene commented. He took one of the two remaining bags from Kristoff's hand and started walking down the dock. "And I guess it's time we get aboard too, huh?"

"Right behind ya." Kristoff replied as he too walked down the dock and up onto the Boreas.

* * *

Elsa was already in her cabin and was starting to unpack her belongings by the time Eugene and Kristoff boarded the ship. The windows of her cabin were on the port side of the ship close to the rear of the vessel. They were adjacent to the main cabin, ordinarily the Captain's cabin if no royalty were onboard, which was located at the very back of the ship. Even though the room she was staying in was not the largest on the Boreas, it was still highly decorated and provided more than enough space for Elsa's needs. She knew it made more sense to give Anna and Kristoff the largest suite anyway, since there would be two of them in the one room.

Before much of her unpacking could be done, Anna burst into the cabin.

"Elsa?" She called before the door had even finished opening. "There you are. What's taking you so long?"

"I'm unpacking Anna. And what do you mean 'long'? Don't tell me you've already unpacked _all_ of those clothes you brought."

"Unpack? Blah, I'll do that later. I came to find you because we're ready to leave port!" Anna exclaimed. She walked over to Elsa and took the book she was about to find a place for out of her hands and put it back in her bag. "You've gotta come out to the deck as we take off! You know, wave to the people and stuff."

Anna began to drag Elsa out the door towards the ship's main deck.

"You certainly seem to be enjoying yourself so far." Elsa commented as she was being pulled along by her sister.

"Yeah, this is much better than I thought it would be." She replied. "No problem at all. This should be fun."

Elsa giggled as they left the door that was below the quarterdeck and stepped into the sunlight on the main deck.

"Let's just hope you don't get sea-sick." she whispered in Anna's ear.

"Sea-_what_?" Anna asked.

Before she could question Elsa any further, Halvard walked up to them.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness." He said with a bow. "We are ready to depart on your command, my queen."

Elsa didn't except to be the one giving the orders on the ship. She was about to tell the captain to depart whenever he was ready, but she figured that his reason for saying this was that he was expecting her to signal the departure of their new flagship's maiden voyage.

"Alright." She said.

The captain gestured to the stairs that lead up to the top of the quarterdeck, where the ship's wheel was located. Elsa and Anna ascended the steps and met Eugene, Rapunzel, and Kristoff who were already up there. Captain Halvard stood directly in front of the large wooden wheel of the Boreas and faced the royal families.

"At your command." He repeated to Elsa. The rest of the crew was standing on the main deck below them, looking up and waiting for the queen to say the word.

Elsa was nervous. Not from the attention, as a queen she was used to that, but from all of the new things she was experiencing at the moment. Being on a boat, departing Arendelle, giving the send-off of a new ship. However, she realized that her people were not judging her, for they were all looking towards her with smiling faces, eagerly awaiting her command.

And with a smile of her own, she gave it.

"Take us out, captain."

"Yes Your Majesty."

Captain Halvard then turned and grabbed the wheel as he began shouting orders to the crew. Men scurried across the deck and up the masts in order to carry out their duties.

By now, a large crowd had gathered on the shore near the docks. Many people, young and old, were standing and waving at the Boreas as it slowly began to inch away from its docking position. Anna and Rapunzel were already waving at everyone down on the ground from the railing of the ship. Elsa walked to the railing as well and she too began to wave. Cheers from the crowd seemed to suddenly get louder as the people were now able to see their queen, standing gracefully on the top of the sleek new vessel.

With the ship now turned to face the exit of Arendelle's harbor, the captain gave orders to raise all of the sails and the Boreas began to move forward. The vessel was fast to accelerate and in just a few minutes they were already past the lighthouse attached to the wall of the castle and out into the fjord.

Elsa and Anna were both anxious, yet excited, as they watched the home they had lived in all their lives became smaller and smaller in the distance behind them, while the open waters of the North Sea before them stretched as far as the eye could see.


	6. Chapter 6 - A Chilly Discovery

**A/N:** Now that the voyage has begun, we are starting to get into the exciting parts of the story. Introductions are over and the action can now begin!

* * *

Chapter 6 - A Chilly Discovery

The Boreas had been out of sight of Arendelle for eight hours now, heading south across the North Sea towards Corona. It was perfect weather to be up on deck. Breezy enough for the sails to move the ship swiftly through the water, but not so windy that the water was choppy. It had been quite literally 'smooth sailing' ever since they left port.

Kristoff and Eugene were getting a tour of the ship by Captain Halvard. They were both particularly interested in the construction of the ship and the armaments it carried. 'Guy stuff' as Anna called it. That's why her and Rapunzel had decided to entertain themselves instead of tagging along. They ended up climbing all over the ship and finding every interesting place they could, much like Eugene suspected they would. At the moment, they were at the very front of the Boreas, straddling the bowsprit and watching the front of the ship slice through the water.

Elsa was sitting near the bow as well, leaning her back against the foremast and reading a book as she kept an eye on the two princesses. The crew didn't mind Anna and Rapunzel running around the ship, but Elsa was a little more concerned for their safety, especially after she had to stop them from climbing up the ladders that reached to the tops of the masts. Fearing they might kill themselves, she had to convince them to have fun in a safer way. Crawling out onto the prow of the ship while dangling over the water was not what she had in mind, but at least it was a bit safer than some of the other things they were doing before... a bit.

"Be careful you two" She shouted to them from her position on the deck. "If you fall off I won't be able to freeze the water fast enough to prevent you from being run over by the boat."

"Don't worry Elsa, we're fine." Anna called back.

_Yeah, fine._ Elsa thought to herself. While Rapunzel was rather nimble and sure-footed, Anna tended to be one of the clumsiest people on the planet. She was forever bumping into walls and falling off of things. Most of the time she didn't really hurt herself, but the sight of her _potentially_ coming to harm always made Elsa cringe.

Between talking to various members of the Boreas' crew and keeping an eye on Anna and Rapunzel, Elsa had barely read two pages of her book since she came up to the deck. She tried to focus once again on the words before her, but was cut off suddenly by a sharp gust of wind. It was very forceful. Enough to flip the pages of the book in Elsa's hand as well as cause the sails of the Boreas to flutter. The thing Elsa noticed most of all about the sudden blast of air was that it was cold... very cold, and the cold typically didn't faze her. But this was different.

"Whoa!" Anna exclaimed from her position up on the bowsprit. Fortunately she had been holding on tight to prevent her from being blown overboard. "What was that?"

"I have no clue." Said Rapunzel. The two of them then looked towards Elsa who was now standing and looking over the water in the direction the wind had come from.

She noticed Anna and Rapunzel's gaze and looked back at them. "Don't look at me." she said. "I didn't cause it."

Halvard, Kristoff and Eugene, who were at the back of the ship near the wheel, were caught off guard by the breeze as well. They were starting to become aware of a noticeable drop in temperature as Elsa, Anna, and Rapunzel walked up to them.

"Your Majesty," Halvard began, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Do you know what that was?"

It was clear that Halvard had also assumed Elsa was the cause of the cold blast of air. When he saw that she was just as confused about it as him, he became both relieved and concerned at the same time. _Who or what else could have caused something like that_? He thought to himself.

"I honestly have no idea, Your Majesty." Halvard replied. "There are no clouds in the sky. There is no sign of any storm activity on the horizon. I don't know where that gust could have come from."

Anna started to rub her arms as she went over to lean against Kristoff.

"Is it just me, or is it getting colder all of a sudden?" She asked him.

"It's not just you." he replied.

"Um... Is that normal for this time of year?" Rapunzel suddenly asked. She was leaning against the railing of the ship, looking towards the water. The others came over to the railing as well and saw what she was questioning about. An ice flow, fairly close to the ship but no more than twenty feet across, was passing by their view as the Boreas sailed by. It seemed rather out of place considering the clear waters they had been sailing through thus far.

"It's just a bit of ice." Said Halvard. "Even though it's April, the water is still very cold. It's not uncommon to see bits of ice still floating the sea left over from winter."

"That's not what I was talking about." Replied Rapunzel, pointing at the small bit of ice that was now past the rear of the ship. She moved her arm up to point at the horizon. "_That_ is what I'm talking about!"

Far in the distance, some bumps on the horizon indicated the presence of a land mass. It was of considerable size but it was difficult to make out many specific features from this far away. However, one thing that was very obvious was that it seemed to be completely covered in snow.

Halvard pulled out a spyglass and took a closer look at the land they were observing, which he knew must have been an island. Every part of it, even big leafy trees along its edge, was covered in a thick blanket of snow. Around it's shore, thick pack-ice stretched for hundreds of feet into the water. There were no clouds hanging over the island, and therefore no explanation for how this island could be covered in fresh snow this far into spring.

"Well... That's a bit peculiar." Eugene said, breaking the silence.

"You're telling me." said the captain as he collapsed his spyglass. "And no princess, that's not at all normal for this time of year."

Just then, the island appeared to become slightly distorted. They all watched as the distortion seemed to spread like ripples in a pond, traveling across the water with great speed until it reached the Boreas. The ship was then hit with another frigid blast of wind, slightly stronger than the last one. The blasts were not strong enough to knock people over, but they were considerably cold.

"This wind is obviously coming from that island." The captain said. He walked back towards the ship's wheel and grabbed hold of it. Halvard knew Elsa very well. Looking at her now, he knew she was a bit frightened of this discovery, as much of the crew was, but he knew that most of all she was curious. She definitely wanted to go to that island to investigate, and that insatiable curiosity was not limited to her. He wanted to know what was going on at that island as well.

"I think this is worthy of further investigation Your Majesty." He began. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Elsa finally took her gaze off the island and looked back at Halvard.

"Yes Captain, I agree. Take us over to that island."

"Yes, my queen." Halvard rotated the wheel slightly to starboard and the Boreas began to turn itself in the direction of the island.

Anna now turned and walked over to stand beside her sister. "Are you sure Elsa?" Anna was also curious, but she was concerned about how whatever was over there might affect Elsa.

"It will be fine Anna." She reassured. "There's something unusual about this... I can't put my finger on it, but I feel almost compelled to find out what's going on over there." Turning to face Anna with a smile, she wanted to show that she was confident in what she was doing. "And don't worry, we'll all still get to Corona in plenty of time."

Anna hesitantly smiled and the two of them walked back to the railing. Kristoff was still standing there looking over the water towards the icy island.

"What do you think?" He asked Elsa. "Some kind of magic?"

Elsa wasn't sure what to think at the moment. The strange weather befalling that island certainly didn't seem natural, but she was hoping that there was a reasonable explanation for it. Preferably one that didn't involve magic. Yet she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that magic was definitely involved. Considering what they were looking at, perhaps a magic similar to her own.

"I don't know... But we're going to find out."

* * *

Just a few minutes later, the Boreas was sitting off the coast of the island. Technically, they were still quite far from shore, but the ice surrounding the beaches extended far into the water, preventing the ship from getting any closer.

Captain Halvard had been observing the island more closely while they had been approaching. Cross-referencing their location on maps of the area, he had determined exactly where they were and identified the island they were about to go explore.

"Well, I know what island that is for sure now." he said, "And I can assure you that winter weather is not commonplace for it in April."

"All the more reason to go over there and find out what's causing it." Replied Eugene, who was now wearing warmer clothes and packing a few things into a bag. "I'm ready to head over there with a couple others to find out what's going on."

"It might not be as easy as that..." Said Halvard, concern in his voice.

"Oh?" Elsa asked, turning away from the island to face him. Curious as to what would be causing a tough man like the captain to worry over a simple matter of going ashore and walking around a bit.

"Yeah... You see, this island has a small population of natives living on it. And they are not the most... agreeable people."

"I see." Replied Elsa. Of course it had to be complicated. It couldn't just be a quick and simple detour. It had to be one in which their lives might be put in jeopardy... again.

Eugene spoke up again, throwing the strap of the bag over his shoulder, ready to go. "So.. we'll be careful. Bring a few weapons in case we need to defend ourselves."

"Hopefully it won't come to that. We seem to be on the opposite side of the island from the majority of their settlements. If we're quick, we can be in and out before they even know we were here." Halvard explained. This seemed to reassure everyone, at least a bit.

"I'll lead the landing party." The captain said, attaching his sword to his belt, which he kept near him on deck at all times.

"And I'll join you." Said Eugene.

"I will as well." Elsa added.

"And so will I!" Anna exclaimed, stepping forward and putting her fists against her hips in a proud pose.

"I think not." Said Elsa as she looked to her sister.

"What? Elsaaaaa? Why not?"

"Because it's dangerous and I want you to stay here."

"But... But if it's dangerous then why are you going..."

Elsa cut her off before she could protest further. "Anna, please. Just this once..." She walked over to Anna and put her hands on her shoulders, giving her a caring smile. "I need you to stay behind. Stay with Kristoff and Rapunzel. I need to know what's over there, but I don't want to put you in harm's way. As for the three of us, we can take care of ourselves."

Anna knew this was true. Halvard was a swordsman of unmatched skill, and Eugene was also a capable fighter, with a peculiar way of defending himself with a frying pan more effectively than with a sword. And of course she knew Elsa was more than capable as well. Her sister did not ever want to use her powers to intentionally hurt others, but she had become an expert in using them defensively, to trap or incapacitate those threatening her.

"Besides," Halvard began, hoping to try and help the queen convince Anna. "While the queen and I are gone, you get to be the captain!"

Elsa glanced over her shoulder at the captain with a smile on her face, knowing that was not _officially_ the way it worked, but not wanting to say anything to prevent Anna from agreeing.

"Oh... alright. I'll stay here." Anna conceded. Elsa gave one last smile at Anna as she turned and walked towards Halvard and Eugene who were heading down the steps to the main deck.

Several of the crew members were hoisting a small rowboat up off the deck and down to the water at the base of a ladder that was built into the hull of the Boreas' side. Elsa, Eugene, and Halvard were forced to get over to the island using the small boat since the ice surrounding it could have been hiding shallow rocks or other hazards that might ground the Boreas.

The three of them began to descend the ladder and hopped into the boat. Anna, Kristoff and Rapunzel were standing at the railing of the ship looking down to them as they got ready to depart.

"You know, since I'm in charge now..." Anna shouted to them, "my first command as acting captain is that I order you all to get beck here in one piece!"

The three in the row boat smiled at each other and then up at Anna.

"And we will." Elsa told her. "I promise... Captain."

Halvard grabbed the ores as Eugene pushed the boat away from the side of the Boreas. They headed off towards the island, dodging tiny icebergs along the way.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Island

Chapter 7 - The Island

The ice surrounding the island made it impossible for the small row boat to get all the way to the shore. Fortunately, a gap in the ice along what appeared to be the outlet of a river provided the opportunity to get within a reasonable distance of the snow covered beach. On the short trip from the Boreas to the island, several more blasts of icy air were released. They were getting stronger and stronger, but no one was certain if it was because they were getting closer to the source, or if the gusts were increasing in intensity.

Captain Halvard rowed the boat all the way up to the edge of the pack ice, which was about fifty feet from the sandy shoreline. He, Elsa and Eugene hopped out and then the three of them tugged the boat up onto the ice to prevent it from floating away as they explored the island.

"So, now that we're here, what exactly are we looking for?" Asked Eugene.

"We're looking for whatever is causing this island to be in a different season than the rest of Europe at the moment." Replied the captain, somewhat sarcastically.

"I realize that. I was wondering what _specifically_ we are looking for. As in: a person, an object..." Eugene began to list a few of the things he assumed could be the source of the snow.

Another gust of wind blew past them, causing Halvard and Eugene to turn their faces as they recoiled from the cold. Even Elsa was bothered slightly by the low temperature of the blast.

"It could be either of those things." Elsa told them both after the wind had passed. "But _specifically, _ I don't know what we're looking for." She turned to look inland, trying to notice anything unusual from where they were standing. There was a ridge that followed the coastline a few feet past the edge of the beach. It prevented them from seeing what was beyond it, so they would have to go over it to see any further.

"I've noticed that the wind has been coming from the exact same direction each time." Halvard pointed out. "If we head directly into the winds, we should get to the source."

"I agree." Elsa noticed that the trees and bushes along the shore were all bent in the same direction. Ice covering each leaf and branch was windswept in the direction away from the centre of the island, acting like thousands of tiny wind vanes. "This way." She pointed in the direction of the coastline ridge and began walking towards it.

From atop the slightly elevated position, The three of them could see far across the landscape. It was very different from what Elsa was used to. Arendelle was a very hilly region, surrounded by mountains and deep fjords. Thick forests covered most of the land that was of a gentle enough slope to support soil. This island, however, was completely different. Few hills rose higher than the small one they were standing on. Patches of trees were scattered across the area, but most of the land was nothing more than flat fields. Fields which were now plains of ice and snow. Giving each other quick glances after taking in the abusively cold landscape they would have to journey across, Elsa, Halvard, and Eugene began walking down the back of the rise and deeper inland. The frosty blasts of wind continuing to pound them periodically.

* * *

Elsa was leading the group, using all of the bent vegetation as her compass which would, hopefully, lead them to find what they were looking for. Halvard was taking up the rear, keeping a sharp eye out for any sign of the natives who inhabited the island. They had been walking for only about fifteen minutes, but it seemed much longer to Eugene. His hands and feet were getting numb, his face felt like it had been completely frost-bitten, and his thighs burned from trudging through the thick snow that blanketed the landscape. From his position in between the queen and the captain, he suddenly stopped to take a quick break.

"Ugh, this is ridiculous." He complained. Halvard walked up beside him and stopped as well.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just getting a bit cold." Replied Eugene, trying not to seem like the weakest of the three.

The captain was a bit concerned, but after giving him a quick look-over, he realized that the Coronan prince was fine. He was shivering slightly, but he knew that was actually a good sign. It meant that he was not suffering from hypothermia. Not yet anyway.

"Back on the boat, I thought you were the eager one to get over here and go exploring?" Halvard teased.

"Yeah, well that's because back then I didn't realize just how cold it would be! It's even worse than..." He looked up to make sure Elsa was out of earshot. "...than the great freeze nine months ago." Eugene and Rapunzel were in Arendelle at the time of Elsa's coronation, so he was quite familiar with the unexpected winter Elsa had caused back then.

Halvard knew Eugene meant no disrespect in mentioning this. If anything he was being respectful of Elsa by making sure she couldn't hear it. Besides, Eugene was right. It _was_ colder than during the great freeze. Another reminder of the potential power of whatever was causing this blizzard.

"I guess you aren't as used to cold weather as those of us from Arendelle, huh?" The captain asked.

Eugene had enough of standing in the snow and decided to continue walking through it instead, trying to catch up to Elsa. The captain followed, but remained beside him this time.

"Yeah, the winters in Corona are not nearly as bad." Eugene replied. "We get a bit of snow during the winter months, but not much. Nothing like this!" He raised his arms as he gestured to the white and barren landscape. Another gust of wind blew past them, considerably stronger now than it was back near where they had landed their boat.

"Normally I like going on adventures." He continued. "Before I met Rapunzel, I went all over the place. Exploring, sightseeing, engaging in activities of... questionable legality."

"Ha! So I've been told." The captain was well informed of Prince Eugene's past life by Anna, who had most likely found out herself through Princess Rapunzel.

"... but anyway... I haven't really gotten out as much since settling down. That's why I was so eager to come over here." Eugene rubbed his arms as he shivered. "Starting to regret it though..."

Halvard chuckled as they both caught up to Elsa, who had stopped briefly near the top of another small rise to wait for them.

"Are you two alright?" She asked, concerned for their warmth. After all, they weren't as immune to the cold as she was.

"Yeah, we're ok." Halvard answered as Eugene nodded. "But I hope we find something soon. We shouldn't wander too far inland."

"I think we're getting close. See the groups of trees ahead of us to the East and the other group to the west?" Elsa pointed to the two patches of frozen trees, one to their left, and one to their right. "See how they are each leaning in opposite directions?"

The two men looked at the trees and noticed what Elsa was talking about.

"Oh yeah. They are." Said the Captain. "Meaning, the blasts of wind are originating from somewhere in-between them. It's the only explanation for the inconsistent tilt."

"Exactly." Elsa said as she continued to walk to the crest of the hill they were on. "What we are looking for should be right about..."

Her words caught in her throat as she gazed over the top of the ridge and down towards the area in front of her.

"...here." She concluded. Stunned and un-moving.

Halvard and Eugene rushed up to see what she was staring at. Before them was a large round depression in the ground, similar to a crater. The ridge they were standing on was not a typical hill, but the rim of this icy crater, rising about thirty feet above the bottom. In the center, was a bright blue glow that seemed to be emanating trails of frost and snow. Suddenly, a deep sound started to come from the center of the depression, almost like a low grumble, and the glow became far brighter. Then, another blast of wind rushed up the sloped walls of the crater and nearly knocked all three of them over before continuing across the land behind them. Whatever was causing the glow was too small to be seen from this distance, but it was clear that they had found the source of this weather.

"What is that?" Asked Eugene.

"I have no clue. I've never seen anything like it." The captain replied. He was being completely honest. In his years of sailing the oceans of the world, he had never encountered or even heard rumor of anything of the likes of what he was staring at.

Without saying a word, Elsa began to descend the incline and head down to the blue glow at the center of the crater.

"Your Majesty! What do you think you're doing?" Halvard quickly snapped.

"I'm going to find out what this is." She replied. "I suggest you both stay up there."

Halyard's instincts told him that _he _should be the one to approach and examine something strange in order to keep his queen safe. But in this circumstance, with said strange object emitting icy powers, Elsa was probably more suited to get close to it than he was. Still, it made him uneasy, and Elsa seemed to know this.

She turned to look at him before continuing towards the glow. "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

"I'm more worried about what Princess Anna will do to me when she finds out I let you do this." Halvard replied jokingly.

Elsa chuckled as she continued walking towards the glow. The closer she got, the more she could make out. By the time she was within ten feet of the light source, she could see that the object emitting the frost and snow was a small blue stone, no more than three inches across. The ground around the stone had been heavily blasted by the force of the wind gusts the stone had been giving off. She was afraid of how forceful a blast of wind would be with her standing so close to the stone, but she felt the need to get closer to examine it further.

"What is it? What do you see?" Called Eugene from up on top of the crater's rim.

"It's some kind of stone. It looks very unusual... and out of place from the other stones we've seen on the island so far." Elsa called back. She got close and closer to the stone, eying it more carefully.

"You're not going to pick it up are you?" Halvard asked in a loud voice so that he could be heard clearly over the distance that was between him and the queen.

A low rumbling started to come from the stone again. Elsa knew that another release of wind was soon to follow. She didn't have time to turn and run, so before she could fully consider the possible consequences of the action, Elsa did just what the captain suggested she not do, and picked up the stone. She held it at arm's length, turned her face from it and closed her eyes, preparing for the inevitable blast, but none came. The grumbling stopped and the stone remained idle. Turning to face it again, Elsa opened her eyes to notice that the glowing had stopped, and the frost and snow which were emanating from it like streamers were no longer present.

"Well... Alright then."

That was all Elsa could say. She was stunned and confused. Completely uncertain of the nature and origin of the stone she now held in her bare hands.

Almost immediately after they saw Elsa pick up the stone, Halvard and Eugene noticed the air starting to feel a bit warmer. The snowflakes that were in the sky around them had all disappeared and they were certain that they could see the sun starting to melt some of the snow near where they were standing.

"Your Majesty! Are you alright?" Halvard yelled.

Elsa, who was now walking back to the two of them with the stone still in her hands, called back up to the captain to reassure him. "I'm fine... And, I think we've just solved the mystery of what was causing this mini winter." Holding the stone up and wiggling it slightly, Elsa showed it to Halvard and Eugene once she walked up the slope of the now melting ice crater.

"Unfortunately, we're now faced with a new mystery. Figuring out just what this thing is, and how it was able to do what it did." She turned the stone over in her hands as she spoke. All three of them were fixated on the object.

They were torn from their curiosity at the sound of an object whizzing through the air, followed by the thump of an arrow imbedding itself in the snow near their feet.

They all quickly looked up to see twenty or thirty people armed with spears and bows at the other side of the crater. Elsa figured that these were no doubt the natives that the captain had warned them about. Almost before Elsa and Eugene could even react, Halvard had acted instinctively, drawing his sword and preparing for a fight.

"AMBUSH!"

* * *

**A/N: **Cliffhanger! The next chapter will be up soon!

As always, feel free to post a review.


	8. Chapter 8 - Ambush

**A/N:** We come to it at last; the action! This is just a little bit, but later chapters will have longer and more intense action moments. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 8 - Ambush

More arrows came flying by them as they stood on top of the ridge. Halvard quickly analyzed the situation and came to the realization that they were dangerously outnumbered. Even with His and Eugene's combat skill and Elsa's powers, he could not guarantee that a stray arrow wouldn't impact one of them. The only option was to retreat and make a run for the shore.

"Go!" He yelled as he pushed the queen and the prince in the direction away from the approaching mob.

The pain of his cold hands and feet now gone, replaced by the adrenaline in his veins, Eugene found it easy to keep up with Elsa and the captain as they sprinted across the slowly melting fields of snow. He reached into his bag as he ran, putting out his trusty frying pan. Rather heavy due to being cast iron, he found it just as effective in close-quarters combat as a sword or dagger.

It had taken them about fifteen minutes or so to get to the location where they found the blue stone. They had been only walking on the way there, and they were uncertain of the exact direction. Now they were running directly towards where their boat was, so captain Halvard figured they would be able to get back in about a third of that time. Hopefully less.

Elsa glanced over her shoulder to look at their pursuers. They were sprinting towards them at a fast pace, getting closer despite the three of them running as fast as they could. She decided that she needed to provide a bit of a distraction to ensure they could keep ahead of the natives. The stone now in her pocket, she turned slightly and flung her hands behind her as she kept running. A wall of ice erupted from the ground a few feet behind her, separating the three of them from the horde. She knew they would just run around it, but it would certainly buy them time to get farther ahead.

Turning around to look where she was running again, Elsa reached the crest of a small hill they were running up. As soon as she crossed the peak of the rise, an attacker surprised her by coming up from the other side. She was barely able to duck her head in time to avoid the swing of a rugged sword as she ran by the man. Her steps fumbled slightly as another man came flying in from her right side, a dagger in his hand.

She instinctively raised her arms and sent a blast of magic towards the man's legs, encasing them in a block of ice mid stride. He collapsed face first into the snow, unable to free himself from her magic. Almost immediately after, the attacker she had just run by was now turned to face her again, and was charging towards her with the sword raised. She quickly flung around and raised a circle of ice spikes from the ground encasing him where he stood and preventing him from getting any closer. He began to hack at the ice with his sword as Elsa regained her balance and continued running.

Eugene and Halvard, were also attacked as they crossed the top of the hill. Eugene had taken out two men with his frying pan, providing a satisfying GONG with each hard hit.

"You know, I really find all this hand-to-hand combat quite distasteful." He yelled to Halvard as he connected his frying pan with the face of another attacking man.

Halvard himself was busy with dueling a native who was particularly more skilled in sword combat than the other several men the captain had easily disabled a few seconds before.

"I suppose you'd rather just sneak into their village and rob them blind as opposed to fighting them like this?" He commented to Eugene as he was able to best his opponent, putting a nasty gash in the attacker's arm causing him to drop his sword and recoil on the ground.

"You have to admit, it's far more elegant!" Eugene replied, running over to Halvard who had incapacitated the last of the men who had just surprise attacked them.

Elsa joined them as they all turned to see the previous group of natives nearing the top of the hill behind them. They had run around the wall of ice Elsa had made and had now caught up to them once again.

"If you two are done your little conversation I strongly suggest we keep running." Elsa told them, not taking her eyes off the angry mob approaching them.

"I couldn't agree more." Replied Eugene. The three of them turned to continue, Elsa blasting the occasional stream of ice behind her in attempts to slow down the pursuing natives.

After a few more minutes of sprinting along, they arrived at the hill that skirted along the edge of the coast. When they got to its apex they could see out across the sea, noticing the Boreas still sitting off the coast, waiting for them to return. The ice around the island had started to break up and float away in chunks. Fortunately, the piece that they had parked their boat on was still intact and attached to the shore.

As they stood still on the ridge for a moment, seeing all of this before them, they also noticed a crowd of about a dozen natives standing at the bottom of the ridge between them and their boat. Blocked from the front, and about to be attacked once again from behind, their escape plan seemed to be totally shot.

"Terrific..." Eugene said sarcastically. "Any ideas for getting out of this one captain?"

"Only that I'd rather face the twelve guys in front of us than the thirty behind us." Halvard replied. He was desperately trying to figure out how the three of them could slip around the men in front of them so that they could reach the boat, but the angles didn't work out. They would be intercepted before they could get close no matter what they did.

"Fair enough." Eugene raised his frying pan again. "I suppose I'm up for a little more combat..." His voice was shaky. Fear filled his eyes as he looked down to the shore. Both him and Halvard knew the three of them might not get out of this alive.

"Well Your Majesty? Do we fight through them, or continue to run. We might be able to lose them and then double-back here." Halvard knew the second option was unlikely to work, but it might have been better than fighting.

Elsa had been observing their situation and listening to the two of them as well. She looked at them as an idea went off in her mind. "I propose a third option."

The war cries from behind them were getting closer. She raised her hands and focused an enormous amount of magic before her. A semi-circular tube of ice formed, stretching from their position on the embankment all the way down to the boat, curving to the left enough to avoid the group blocking their way. The natives seemed stunned for a moment, but soon focused their attention back on the three of them and began charging up the hill.

"Get on!" Elsa commanded the two of them.

Realizing that this just might work, Halvard and Eugene jumped onto the slide made of ice and began quickly slipping down its surface as the slope of the hill accelerated them towards the shore. Elsa jumped on the slide as well, disintegrating it behind her as she traveled down it so that they could not be followed.

The group of attackers before them started to adjust their course in a futile attempt to catch the three of them on the slide. However, the speed at which they were sliding down the ice removed any possibility of them being caught. Arrows and spears flew by them, all missing, as they moved swiftly towards the beach. Elsa shot off the occasional blast of ice to freeze a few men who were getting a little too close for comfort.

They were approaching the water at break-neck speed. Elsa turned her attention to the front and sent a blast of snow ahead of her, past Eugene and Halvard, impacting their boat and nudging it slightly into the water. She then extended the base of the ice slide out to the edge of the shore, ensuring the angle and pitch of the end of the ramp was just right for what she had planned.

Reaching the end of the slide, Eugene, Halvard and Elsa flew a few feet through the air, landing directly in the boat which Elsa had filled with light fluffy snow to soften their impact. The momentum of them landing in the boat caused it to begin to move forward through the water. Coming to his senses after the incredible stunt, Halvard quickly assumed his seat, grabbed the ores and began rowing away from shore as fast as he could. Eugene and Elsa stumbled to the other benches as well. They looked back, watching the crowd of angry natives stand at the melting shore, unable to chase them any further.

"Well that was fun." Eugene brought up, his voice laced with both sarcasm and amazement. "Can we do it again?" The sarcasm more prominent now.

All Halvard could do was smile and chuckle as he continued to row the boat with all of his strength, still amazed at their ability to escape the situation, and impressed by Elsa's capacity to focus while under pressure and come up with a flawless plan.

Elsa's heart rate began to return to normal as she shifted in her seat to look away from that miserable island. She reached into her pocket and felt for the stone, which fortunately, had not fallen out during their escape. Looking it over once more, she was captivated by its beauty and the mystery associated with it.

The Boreas grew closer as they approached. Eventually, Elsa could make out Anna standing at the railing, who had no doubt been waiting with baited breath ever since they left the ship less than an hour earlier.

Climbing back up onto the Boreas, Elsa, Halvard and Eugene were met by several members of the crew as well as Anna, Kristoff and Rapunzel.

Walking up to Eugene, Rapunzel gave him a quick hug. "So, what was it like over there?"

"Oh wonderful." He replied. "Great fun. You should try it sometime." He spoke in a joking manner but it was still clear to Rapunzel that he was being very sarcastic.

"Nothing like a healthy fear of death to remind you that you're still alive." Added the captain as he took off his sword and handed it to a crewman.

The statement surprised Anna, who was helping Elsa off the ladder on the side of the ship and onto the deck.

"Death?" She questioned the captain. Turning her head to look at Elsa again she directed the remainder of her question at her sister. "So you actually were attacked?"

Hesitant to answer because she didn't want to worry Anna, Elsa replied as vaguely as possible. "Slightly."

"You were _slightly_ attacked? What does that mean?"

The captain decided to chime in again to take the pressure off the queen, since he could tell she did not want Anna to know the details of the skirmish they just went through.

"Suffice it to say, princess; complications arose but were overcome. We are back, and we are safe."

"And..." Elsa broke in as she walked towards a hatch on the main deck. "...We found this." She took the stone from her pocket and placed it on the top of the hatch, which put the stone at hip-height so that everyone could examine it.

It was glowing again, but only very slightly. Barely noticeable in the light of early evening. Everyone around was staring at the object with curiosity and a hint of fear.

"This is what was causing those winds and blanketing that island with snow?" Kristoff asked.

"Yes. We found it a bit inland. When I picked it up, it seemed to stop emitting its power and became completely idle." As Elsa explained this to Kristoff, she didn't notice Anna moving her arm towards the stone.

"What is it, exactly?" The redhead asked, but before anyone could answer, she had touched the stone and was jolted with a blast of ice from the object.

"Anna!" Elsa yelled. She put her hands up to her mouth and watched in terror as Anna stumbled backwards slightly after merely grazing the stone.

"Anna!" Kristoff echoed, supporting her before she fell over. "Are you alright?"

A bit dizzy and feeling a little weird, Anna regained her own balance and stood up straight. "Yeah... yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't expect that, that's all."

Elsa lowered her hands in relief and looked closely at Anna's hand. It didn't seem injured in any way. There was no ice covering it and she did not seem to be in pain. Something Elsa did notice was the tiny patch of ice forming on the deck of the ship. At first she assumed that it was her own emotions casing a bit of an outburst of her powers after fearing her sister was hurt, but when she looked down to examine the ice, she realized that it was not forming around her own feet, but around Anna's.

"What?!" She gasped, baffled as to how Anna could be the source of the frost. The others followed her eyes down and shared her shock.

Looking down at her own shoes, Anna stared in disbelief as she watched the little patch of frosty deck stop growing and then slowly retreat back into her, leaving no trace of it. _Did that just come from me?_ she wondered.

Elsa looked up at Anna's face, still stunned form what they had all just witnessed. "Anna. Did you just do that?"

She still didn't know what had happened when she touched the stone, but something told her that it was true. That magic had come from her!

"I... I think so." She told Elsa, certain now that Elsa didn't create the ice beneath her, It was her own ice! "But I didn't try to, It just kinda happened... after I touched that stone."

"But... you're ok right? You said you were ok." Kristoff asked, hoping that Anna would not suddenly collapse from some strange magical force that had entered her.

"Yeah, I am. I felt a little funny for a few seconds, but... it's gone now."

Elsa wasn't completely convinced and her heart was still racing from panic about her sister.

"Come on, We're going to see the doctor." She took Anna's hand as Kristoff took the other. They helped her down the stairs to a lower deck on the ship, hoping that the doctor could help figure out what had happened to her.


	9. Chapter 9 - A Touch of Magic

Chapter 9 - A Touch of Magic

Anna Kristoff and Elsa were down in the Boreas' infirmary along with the doctor. Elsa and Kristoff were both very concerned, but Anna was starting to get annoyed. She had been lying on a table for what seemed like an hour. Supper time had come and gone and she was wanting to leave this windowless cabin very badly.

"I'm getting hungry, can we do this later?" She asked the doctor.

"Not until I'm finished!" The man replied. An older man who had served as a naval medic for most of his life, Doctor Josef had insisted he become the senior medic on the Boreas. He was one of the best doctors in Arendelle, so Halvard welcomed his presence on the new flagship. Right now, Elsa was also glad he was onboard.

"I'm telling you, I feel fine!" Anna tried to explain to the three of them. "I've even tried to make more ice, but I can't. Whatever it was that the stone did to me has worn off."

Both Elsa and Kristoff did not respond to this. They simply looked at the doctor as he leaned back against the desk behind him and removed his spectacles.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with the Princess, Your Majesty. I can't find anything wrong with her at all. She seems to be in perfect health." Josef had no way of examining the magical aspects of what happened to Anna, but physically, she checked out.

"Told you!" Anna exclaimed as she smacked Kristoff in the stomach with her hand.

"Owch." He said rubbing where he had been hit, although it was a light smack and did not truly hurt him. "Would you rather I didn't care? We were both worried about you." He gestured to Elsa as well who was walking closer to where Anna was now sitting up on the table.

"No... I know" Anna told him as she hopped off the examination table. "But trust me, I'm perfectly fine."

"Alright. But don't touch that stone again. Okay?" Elsa told her, relieved that her sister had gotten a clean bill of health, but still somewhat concerned.

Anna smiled. "You won't get any argument from me. But you'd better tell everyone else that, before the whole crew ends up with ice powers!"

"Hmph, I'd be out of a job for sure..." Kristoff replied, realizing how useless an 'ice master and deliverer' would be if everyone could simply generate their own ice the way Elsa did.

The two sisters laughed as the three of them headed back up to the deck.

* * *

With Anna and Kristoff off to get something to eat, Elsa walked to the wheel of the ship in hopes to find Captain Halvard. The sun setting to the west cast long shadows across the deck in the dimming light. Crewmen were starting to light the ships lanterns to provide some illumination for the night watch. Sure enough, As Elsa walked up to the stern of the ship she saw Halvard was standing on the quarterdeck, steering the ship through the water.

"Your Majesty." He greeted when he saw her.

"Please Halvard, you know I'm not big on formal titles. It's not always necessary, especially if it's just the two of us."

"Very well, Elsa."He still felt a little uncomfortable referring to her by name, but if it was what she wanted at non-formal times, than it was what he would do.

Instead of getting immediately down to business, Elsa decided to relax for a little bit. She walked over to the railing and looked over towards the setting sun. It was breathtaking, lighting the sky in a multitude of reds and oranges. A contrast to the blues and purples she was most fond of, but still beautiful none the less. She let the silence last a few moments longer before asking the captain her question.

"Did you secure the stone in a safe location? I don't want anyone else touching it. Either accidentally or on purpose."

"Yes I did." Halvard replied. "I had it put in a box and brought it to your cabin. I figured you would want it close by so you could examine it further."

That was exactly what she wanted. Elsa didn't assume Halvard would have known that she wanted it in her room, but considering how well he knew her, she figured that she probably should have.

"Thank you, that's perfect." She told him. She faced out towards the sea again. The sun was almost gone. Only a few inches of it could be seen above the surface of the water now.

A few more moments of silence passed. Eventually, just after the sun had vanished, Elsa posed another question. This time, it was more of a question to herself.

"I wonder why I could touch the stone but Anna couldn't."

Halvard had asked himself this already, but was uncertain as to the answer. When it came to things involving magic, he tended to simply accept what he could see without trying to figure it out. It usually made no scientific sense anyway.

"I've been wondering about that as well." He answered. Elsa turned to face him as he continued. "The chances are that it's not just Anna who cannot touch it. It's probably the entire crew." He was, of course, uncertain, but he was also unwilling to let anyone else test the theory.

"That's probably true. Which still begs the question: why can I touch it without being hurt?"

"Perhaps something to do with your magic?" Halvard asked.

Elsa took in what he had said and sighed. "You're probably right. It seems that I'm constantly finding out more ways that I'm different from everyone else."

Halvard knew Elsa long enough to realize that she was often too hard on herself and was almost always self-conscious. He also knew how to bring her out of it though.

"Oh, I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with being different, do you? After all, who else could make a giant ice slide out of thin air? That thing was a blast!" He had a bit of a smile on his face as he told this to Elsa. " I think Eugene was being serious when he asked if he could ride it again."

She was looking at him now and began to smile back. Leave it to Halvard to find something entertaining in a situation as dire as they had been in just a few hours ago.

"Perhaps I should open an amusement park in Arendelle when we get back? Giant icy slides that end up in big piles of snow." Elsa pictured the image in her mind. It seemed ridiculous, but also sounded like a lot of fun.

"I'd be the first one to slide down that." Halvard replied. "Well, the second. I'm sure Princess Anna would insist on being the first."

"She does like to leap before she looks doesn't she?" Elsa remembered all the times Anna had sprained or bruised something over the past few months. Yet despite the frequency of the injuries, she never let them keep her down for long. It was one of her greatest strengths. Elsa just hoped that it wouldn't turn out to be a weakness as well.

* * *

_April 8, 1794_

It was morning on the ship and Anna and Kristoff had headed down to the galley for breakfast. There they met Eugene and Rapunzel who were also about to eat and they joined them at one of the tables. Something about eating at a regular table in a loud and busy room surrounded by a bunch of the Boreas' crew was exciting to Anna. She had always had her meals in a big fancy dining hall, normally only with Elsa, Kristoff and the occasional dignitary. The environment onboard the ship was very different, and she enjoyed it.

It didn't take long for the conversation between the four of them to turn to Anna's brief dabble with magic the day before. She didn't mind this either as she somewhat enjoyed that experience as well.

"So what did it feel like?" Rapunzel asked in-between sips of her drink.

"Well it felt a little strange at first, kinda like I suddenly had a really restful night's sleep and was full of energy..."

"You're always full of energy." Kristoff said, cutting her off.

"...yeah... but even more than usual!" Anna retorted. "And I didn't realize that I had created the ice on the deck at first, but when I looked down and concentrated on it, it went away. I felt the control I had over it."

Rapunzel listened to Anna's every word with great interest. "I can't imagine what it must feel like to have control over an element like the way your sister does. It's a good thing Elsa is such a calm and collected person... I think I'd have way too much fun with that power If I were given it." She remembered the power her hair used to have. It could heal injuries and rejuvenate life, but she thought it was nothing compared to Elsa's control over ice and snow.

Anna reflected on Rapunzel's words and understood where she was coming from.

"I always wondered what it would feel like too. I guess now... I finally know. Maybe now I even understand Elsa a little more..." She looked down at her hands, trying to focus and create even a single snowflake, but as she expected nothing happened. "I kind of feel sad that I only experienced it for such a brief time."

Everyone at the table remained silent for a few moments after Anna said this. The first one to break the silence was Anna herself, looking up at Kristoff and smiling. She wasn't gonna let these thoughts keep her down for long!

"What do you think Kristoff? Don't you think it would have been great if I had Elsa's ice powers as well?" Of course she was only joking, but part of it was a serious question, to see how Kristoff would react. She loved to push his buttons.

"Yeah, great." Kristoff replied in a heavily sarcastic tone. "Instead of just having a sister-in-law who can freeze me to a popsicle at any time, I'd have a wife who could do the same thing."

The four of them laughed as they continued their breakfast, conversation topics ranging from how nice the Boreas was, to the interesting things to see and do in Corona. They still had two days to go, but journey did not seem to drag on at all so far.


	10. Chapter 10 - Unexpected Invitation

Chapter 10 - Unexpected Invitation

Elsa had already eaten breakfast earlier and was now sitting up on the very back of the Boreas' quarterdeck. She was facing the wake that the ship left behind as she read one of the books she brought along on the voyage. Unlike the previous day where she had to keep an eye on Anna and Rapunzel, she was able to fully focus on reading and made significant progress.

She was not reading a novel. She was engrossed in a scientific journal by the British Royal Society that detailed the recent discovery of a new planet in the solar system, Uranus. Elsa was always fascinated by astronomy. During her years of isolation, she would gaze at the stars out her window with a small telescope her father had bought her. Quite often she would stay up all night watching the rotation of the night sky and recording the positions of planets.

She found herself drifting away from the text before her as she remembered the past, wondering of what other discoveries had yet to be made about the universe. An object she noticed on the horizon far behind the Boreas suddenly woke her from her daydreams. It was a ship. A small vessel that was at an extreme distance, but it was getting closer.

The queen turned to bring the sight to someone else's attention.

"Captain!"

Captain Halvard, who was at the wheel of the ship once again, turned to face Elsa when she called.

"There appears to be a vessel approaching us." She continued.

Halvard handed the wheel over to another crewman as he took out his spyglass and looked over the water towards the approaching ship. When he saw it, he could identify it immediately, without even needing to look at what colours it was flying.

"Don't worry Your Majesty," He told her. "It's one of ours. The Aksel."

The Aksel was a courier ship used by Arendelle. It was small and fast, excellent for use as a ship to transport mail and other information that required a speedy delivery.

"The Aksel?" Elsa repeated. "I wonder why _they_ are out here?"

"I'm not sure... but if they are trying to catch up to us, it must be important." Halvard walked back over to the wheel to issue orders to the crew. "Trim the sails! Prepare to come to a full stop!"

Minutes later, the Aksel was alongside the Boreas. A gangplank was lowered between the two ships, and as soon as it was in place, the Akel's commander, Captain Anton, and Arendelle's minister of foreign relations, Oscar Thorstein came quickly aboard the Boreas.

Elsa walked up to greet them as the two bowed.

"Your Majesty," Anton began, "I'm glad we caught up with you as soon as we did. Mr. Thorstein here wanted to contact you as quickly as possible."

"What's the problem captain?" Elsa asked, curious as to why they both seemed so anxious.

"I think I'll let Mr. Thorstein explain that." He gestured to the minister who stepped forward to join the conversation.

"Queen Elsa, I came to see you as soon as I could in order to relay this important information." The minister began.

"About what, Oscar? I don't understand what's going on." She replied.

"About this letter which we had received a few hours after you left port." Oscar pulled an envelope from his jacket and handed it to Elsa who started to open it.

"It's from the southern Isles, Your Majesty."

The sound of the name made Elsa's blood run cold. Her hands halted the opening of the letter as she noticed the all too familiar seal stamped on the paper with red wax. Nine months ago, she had cut off all trade relations with the Southern Isles and she had hoped to never have to do business with them ever again. For a moment, Elsa considered tearing up the letter and sending Oscar and the Aksel off with instructions to tell the Southern Isles to leave her alone. However, her better judgment won out against her gut reaction when she thought about how the Minister said it was important.

Hesitantly she opened the letter and began to read as Oscar explained its contents aloud.

"To summarize the letter, it is an invitation."

"An invitation?" Asked Captain Halvard. "Inviting who to what?"

"Inviting us to the Southern Isles." Elsa answered before Oscar did.

"Correct." The minister continued. "It would seem there was some kind of political incident in the Southern Isles a few months ago. The new king, a King Rasmus, has invited Her Majesty, Queen Elsa, to visit his homeland in hopes that relations can be improved between our two kingdoms."

"I see." Halvard glanced over at Elsa who was still reading the letter as Oscar continued.

"King Rasmus claims that this meeting is of utmost importance, and explains that it would be greatly beneficial to both The Southern Isles and Arendelle if you were to meet with him as soon as possible." Oscar concluded his explanation and looked towards the Queen as she finished reading the message.

Elsa stood silent for a moment as she thought about what she had read. It was essentially exactly what Oscar had explained, but the tone of the letter made her uneasy. She wasn't sure why, but she knew something was up.

The Minister saw the hesitation in Elsa's eyes and felt it necessary to try and convince her. "Of course... you aren't required to attend, Your Majesty. But I think you understand that it would be a great help to our economy if we could re-establish trade with the Southern Isles."

As much as she didn't want to believe it, Elsa knew he was telling the truth. Arendelle was hurting, financially, after she had cut off ties with The Southern Isles and Weselton. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but now that the economy was suffering, it would be helpful to open trade with at least one of those kingdoms again.

"Yes, I understand Minister. Given the current situation, I will take King Rasmus up on his offer and meet with him in the Southern Isles." Elsa sighed, realizing she had to put aside her personal feelings for the welfare of her kingdom.

"Very good Your Majesty." He replied, taking a step back as Captain Anton stepped forward with a folder of papers in his hands.

"This is all of our recent intelligence on the Southern Isles, Your Majesty." Anton explained as he handed the folder to Elsa. "I know it's not much, but hopefully it will prepare you somewhat for the encounter."

"Thank you, Captain."

"Very well. We shall be off then. Best of luck Queen Elsa." Wished Anton. Him and Minister Thorstein walked back across the gangplank and returned to the Aksel.

Just as the two ships were beginning to move away from each other, Anna, Kristoff, Rapunzel, and Eugene all came up on deck from having finished their breakfast. Anna walked up to Elsa as she watched the Aksel moving off.

"We met up with another ship?" She asked. "What did they want?" She recognized the flag of Arendelle flying on the Aksel and assumed that the meeting was not of a hostile nature.

Elsa felt pained to have to do this to Anna, but unfortunately this meeting had to take priority over her sister's honeymoon.

"There's been a slight change in plans Anna." Elsa told her. She then directed her attention at Halvard. "Captain, alter our course. Take us to the Southern Isles."

"Right away Your Majesty." Replied Halvard as he walked up to re-take his position at the ship's wheel.

"The Southern Isles? Elsa? What's going on?"

Looking at her sister again, Elsa had a sympathetic expression on her face. It was genuine but it was also hiding the fear she felt on the inside. "I'm afraid Corona will have to wait Anna."

The sails of the Boreas were all raised once again and the ship began to speed through the water with all do haste towards their new destination.

* * *

Soon after the Aksel had left, Elsa called a meeting. She sat in the Boreas' situation room along with Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, Rapunzel, and Halvard. She apologized to all of them for having to postpone their trip to Corona, and especially to Anna and Kristoff for having to delay their honeymoon. No one was angry with her. Everyone understood the urgency of the situation and was perfectly willing to extend their voyage by a few more days. However, this didn't stop them from being concerned.

"I don't know Elsa, I'm still worried about you meeting with this guy." Anna asked. "What if he ends up being a lunatic like his brother was." She shuddered at the thought of the man who had tried to kill her and her sister. Hopefully Hans was serving a very long and very isolated prison sentence at the moment.

"We can't make that assumption Anna." She told her sister, understanding where she was coming from and sharing the same concerns to an extent. "If anything, the fact that he is willing to try and make reparations is a good sign."

Halvard felt the need to add his opinion as well. "Yes. Also, he is a brand new king with a brand new way to run his kingdom than the previous ruler. For all we know he was disgusted by the way the old king dealt with the events of nine months ago and has decided to try and patch things up between his kingdom and ours."

"Speaking of which, do we know how King Rasmus came to power? What happened to the old king?" Asked Rapunzel.

"Unfortunately, we don't know specifics." Elsa replied as she flipped through the pages of intelligence she had been given by Captain Anton. "All we do know is that the previous king, the eldest of the Southern Isles brothers, a man named Andor, passed away some months ago. How it happened is not known to us. The second eldest brother, Rasmus, assumed the throne afterwards."

Everyone was lost in their own thoughts for a moment, but Eugene spoke up to voice what they were all thinking.

"Do you think it might have been a coup d'état?" He asked. "Do you think Andor might have been murdered?"

Elsa wore a grim expression, showing that she had considered this as well.

"I don't know... It's possible, but we shouldn't jump to conclusions." Elsa paused to look around the table where everyone sat. "All we do know at the moment is that we have been invited under a flag of peace, and that Rasmus intends to smooth relations with us. Therefore, that's the information we should base our preconceptions on."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"However, that doesn't mean we won't keep our eyes and ears open to everything. There's an old saying: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst." Elsa's words spoke to all of them. They knew that had to keep an open mind, but also that things were not always the way they seemed when they are hidden in the darkness.

"I suppose that's it then." The queen said. "Thank you all for coming."

With those words, everyone began to get up and head out of the room. They were all quiet, but still felt that they were doing something that was necessary.

Before he exited the door of the room, Halvard turned to face Elsa again who was still sitting at the table, staring off into space.

"Your Majesty?" He asked.

She gave no response, lost in her own thoughts.

"Elsa?"

At this, she looked up to see the captain, still standing in the room.

"Yes Halvard? ...I'm sorry."

"It's alright." He told her, knowing that she must have been incredibly preoccupied at the moment. "I just wanted to tell you... that I know what you're doing is difficult for you. And although we all are hoping for a happy ending to this endeavor... I recommend extreme caution."

Elsa took comfort in the fact that she was not the only one to smell something fishy about the situation. She always trusted Halvard's instincts and was happy to know that he was never afraid to give her his advice.

"Thank you captain. And I promise you... I will."


	11. Chapter 11 - The Southern Isles

**A/N:** A big thanks to everyone who's followed, favorited or reviewed the story so far. I never expected to receive any feedback at all, so I'm really appreciative of those who have taken the time to review.

The first act of the story is now over. The next several chapters will take place in The Southern Isles. All will be revealed soon, so stay tuned! Things are starting to heat up!

* * *

Chapter 11 - The Southern Isles

_April 10, 1794_

It took two more days to reach the Southern Isles. The Boreas had arrived in their waters just before noon, where they were intercepted by a patrol boat. The patrol was surprisingly lax in their investigation of the Boreas, letting them directly into the kingdom's harbour after nothing more than Elsa showing her face to the inspectors. She figured that the King must have informed his patrol ships to let her in immediately without any hassle.

The Boreas was anchored in the middle of the channel in which the main port of the Southern Isles was located. The landscape of the area was quite impressive. Numerous inlets and peninsulas lined the coast on both shores. Captain Halvard commented on their way in that the area would be a navigational nightmare in the dark, and considering the complex system of islands, it was understandable that even an experienced sailor such as he would think so.

Admiring the view from the deck of the ship had been a pleasant pass-time at first, but now, after having been kept waiting for almost three hours, most on board the Boreas were getting bored... and just a bit nervous.

"This is getting ridiculous." Anna exclaimed, leaning against the ships railing up near the wheel on the quarterdeck. Elsa, Kristoff, Eugene, Rapunzel, and Halvard were all on the deck as well, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the King who was supposedly going to meet them right here.

The captain was getting agitated as well. "We nearly fly the sails off the masts in an attempt to get here as quickly as possible, and now they make us wait for hours." he grumbled.

"I suppose us getting here so quickly could be the reason we're waiting. Maybe they're not ready to receive us yet?" Said Rapunzel, attempting to come up with some reasonable explanation for the delay.

"But they requested that we arrive as soon as possible in their letter." Halvard replied. "If you ask me, it's very suspicious."

Elsa appeared to be the most calm of the six at the moment, at least on the outside. Inside, she shared the same concerns as everyone aboard. Regardless, she felt the need to try and steady the others.

"I don't think we need to concern ourselves with the amount of time we've been kept waiting." Elsa said calmly as she turned to look at the other five. "We were invited here for peaceful purposes, and remember what I said before, we have to assume those purposes are genuine... at least until we are given valid reasons for thinking otherwise."

"But shouldn't we...I don't know... ready the cannons or whatever?" Asked Anna. "For all we know they're making us wait to lull us into a false sense of security... and then attack us!"

"No one's going to attack us Anna." Elsa re-assured. "Diplomacy is a skill that goes hand-in-hand with patience."

As Elsa was speaking, the others began to look past her to one of the inlets between two tall islands. Four tall masts slowly came into appearance from behind the island that had previously blocked their view. As they moved farther out from the islands, the imposing bow of a massive vessel came into sight.

Elsa was continuing to face away from the vessel while she spoke. "We must wait calmly, and peacefully..."

"Your majesty..." Halvard interrupted as he slowly pointed to the approaching ship, which was now completely clear of the inlet and starting to turn to face the Boreas.

Elsa turned around to see what the entire crew was staring at. She was surprised to see what was most certainly the largest vessel she had ever laid eyes on. Judging by the reaction of the others aboard the Boreas, no one else had ever seen a vessel quite so large and imposing either.

The ship was getting closer and Captain Halvard's defensive instincts kicked in at the sight of the unknown vessel bearing down on his at considerable speed.

"Man the cannons." He commanded to the crew on the main deck below him.

"No!" Elsa yelled, turning to face Halvard.

"Your Majesty?" He replied, as the rest of the crew halted in their actions.

"We maintain a peaceful status." She reminded him. She was pleased that he was quick to react in dangerous situations, but this particular moment called for discretion rather than action. "What do you make of the vessel captain?" She asked Halvard.

Frustrated but compliant, Halvard walked to the railing and closely examined the ship which was now starting to turn to its side.

"Very large... I'd say about three-hundred-fifty feet long." Halvard began as he looked over at the ship, using his years of experience to help him identify and analyze the vessel. "At least one-hundred-fifty to two-hundred guns, a very broad and stable hull... She's a ship-of-the-line no doubt."

Everyone on the Boreas held their breath as they watched the mysterious vessel sweep around in a large, yet surprisingly nimble turn for a ship of its size. It came along side the Arendellian flagship, which now seemed dwarfed in comparison.

Coming to a stop close enough for verbal communication between the two ships, the massive vessel lowered its anchor to stay parked beside the Boreas. Almost immediately, a man appeared on at the railing of the ship's main deck, which stood slightly above the elevated quarterdeck at the rear of the Boreas where Elsa and the others were standing.

The man looked across the gap between the two ships and directly at Elsa. "Your Majesty." He said. It was not a question, for he knew exactly who he was talking to.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle." Elsa replied with a very slight curtsey. She reminded herself that they were here on peaceful terms and that she should maintain a friendly and comfortable outward appearance. It was difficult to do while facing a wall of wooden planks lined with rows and rows of closed cannon ports. "It's a pleasure to meet you, King Rasmus."

"I am not Rasmus," the man replied. "I am his brother, Prince Dagmar."

Elsa was surprised that the man first greeting them was not the King. She hoped that she had not offended the Prince by assuming he was.

"The King wishes to extend his invitation to the Arendellian royal family and your captain, to come aboard the Odin." Continued Dagmar. He then looked towards Rapunzel and Eugene, who were standing on the deck with Halvard, Anna, and Kristoff, just behind Elsa. "And of course, the Coronan royal family is invited as well."

The Odin was clearly the name of the vessel. Elsa was about to question what would be taking place at this meeting. Would it be a simple introduction, or would business be conducted as well? However, before she could open her mouth, Prince Dagmar turned away from the railing and walked back away from the Boreas. Several other men quickly appeared at the edge of the Odin and began extending a gangway over the gap between the vessels. Captain Halvard motioned to some of the Boreas' crew to assist with the extension of the wooden walkway. They grabbed it as it reached over to the deck and secured it.

Halvard turned to face Elsa. "Not very talkative are they?" he said quietly.

Elsa sighed nervously, showing Halvard that she shared his concerns. "Well I suppose we'll all head over then." She began "No weapons. Remember that we are invited guests. Let's go."

The six of them timidly started to cross the gangway. It was slightly inclined in order to reach up to the higher deck of the Odin. Fortunately, the calm seas at the moment were preventing the two ships from bobbing up and down, making the crossing very easy.

"How did they even know we were onboard?" Rapunzel whispered to Eugene as they walked up the ramp. Eugene just shrugged as he started taking in the sights of the impressive vessel.

Anna stayed close to Kristoff and was surprisingly quiet during their walk aboard the Odin. Captain Halvard was coming up with escape scenarios in his mind, just in case the situation turned deadly. And Elsa was just trying to remain calm. She was about to meet the leader of the Southern Isles. The country that had recently tried to have her and her sister killed. She didn't expect to be dealing with them so soon after the incident, but the opportunity to put the past behind her was too good to ignore. This had to be done.


	12. Chapter 12 - King Rasmus

Chapter 12 - King Rasmus

Elsa and her party were escorted across the deck of the Odin by two of the Southern Isles guards. The ship was definitely impressive, not only in size but in design as well. Most of its wooden structure was painted either dark navy blue or black, giving it an intimidating appearance. Elsa wondered how long it would have taken to build such a vessel, considering the Boreas took months to build and it was only a little over half the size of the Odin.

They were led into a corridor that took them towards the aft of the ship. Upon reaching a large set of double doors, they were ushered inside by the guards who then turned, left the room and closed the doors behind them.

The room they were now in was very large and very impressive. With high ceilings and decorative bulkheads, it was probably a meeting room of some kind. They were obviously at the very stern of the ship due to the large windows at the back of the room that brought plenty of natural light into the chamber.

Sitting in front of the window at a small desk was a man. He was somewhat thin, but Elsa could tell from his muscles and his imposing size, even when sitting, that he was still strong.

"You'll have to forgive my not meeting you out on the deck when you boarded." The man began, causing everyone to jump slightly at the contrast to the silence that they were in for the past several minutes.

"As I'm sure you're aware, the duties of being King keep me quite occupied with paperwork." He continued, finishing writing something down on the papers he had before him. He put his pen down to look up at the six visitors standing in the room.

At first, Elsa was afraid to ask if this man was King Rasmus, especially since she had already made the wrong assumption with Prince Dagmar a few moments ago. But now that he had mentioned that he was king, she felt safe to ask the question.

"King Rasmus?"

"Queen Elsa." He replied, acknowledging her question and also showing his knowledge of her. He stood up from his chair. "You're not as intimidating as I had expected... isn't that odd?"

Elsa didn't know what to think of that comment, and she stayed quiet. She'd hoped that no one would ever think of her as intimidating.

"I had always assumed someone with your abilities would give off an aura of... terror and arrogance." He continued. "I see I was wrong."

Rasmus noticed Halvard moving his eyes around the room, trying to analyse the ship without being too obvious. His gaze caught a glimpse of the man who had greeted them earlier, Prince Dagmar, who was standing at the back left of the room, partially obscured by shadows.

"You may look around the room freely Captain Halvard." The king told the captain, who was not expecting to be spoken to.

Halvard started moving his whole head around now to observe, glancing once again at Dagmar who seemed to be staring back at him.

In the mean time, Elsa had finally gained the resolve to become more active in the conversation.

"You are not as I had imagined you either." She told him.

This turned his attention back to her. "Oh?" He asked.

Not knowing how exactly to describe what her expectations were, she simply gave him the same reason he had given her.

"I had pictured you as more intimidating as well."

Rasmus smiled slightly and chuckled at hearing this. "Then it would appear we were both incorrect in our preconceptions of each other."

"It would appear so." She replied, not taking her eyes off him.

Anna had been quiet the whole time they were onboard the Odin. She was too frightened about the fact that they were actually in the Southern Isles, and actually in one of their ships to be able to say much. Staring now at Rasmus, a man who was the brother of Hans, she noticed the similarities in his facial structure... and it scared her to death.

Elsa wanted to get down to business so that this awkward meeting could be over and done with as quickly as possible.

"If I may ask, why did you request our presence here?" She questioned, knowing that it was in regards to trade relations, but she wanted to know specifics.

Rasmus seemed to ignore her, and focused his gaze on Anna instead.

"Your Majesty?" Elsa asked again, wondering if he didn't hear her.

"And you must be Princess Anna." Rasmus said. He slowly walked around the side of his desk and stood in front of it, closing the distance between himself and his visitors.

Anna was trembling, but she knew that she had to put on a brave face and act diplomatic, just like Elsa had taught her on the way here.

"Yes, I am." Was all she said. Too nervous to say more.

Noticing her uncomfortable state, Kristoff instinctively moved a bit closer to Anna to protect her from this mysterious man that was looking at her.

"You seem quite familiar with all of us." He told the King.

Rasmus now looked at Kristoff. "Oh, I am Mr. Bjorgman. I make it a habit of getting to know everyone I intend to have dealings with."

Elsa was starting to get a little annoyed. "And what dealings are we intending to have, Your Majesty?"

The question snapped Rasmus out of his close examination of all present in the room. He turned around and walked back behind his desk.

"Yes, of course Queen Elsa. We have quite a lot to talk about." He remained standing, looking once again at Elsa.

"I'd be curious to know the purpose of what we will be talking about."

"The purpose is friendship, Your Majesty." Replied Rasmus. He raised both of his hands slightly with his palms up, indicating a friendly gesture. "To remove these barriers we've put between our kingdoms and return to the state of co-operation we once had." He lowered his hands and put them behind his back. "I'm talking about Peace, Queen Elsa. The purpose is peace."

Elsa and the others were stunned. They already knew Rasmus wanted to resume trade between Arendelle and the Southern Isles, but what he was proposing now seemed like more. Almost like the proposition of a very tight alliance. Elsa felt the need to question this further.

"There was no official declaration of hostilities between our two kingdoms, Your Majesty. So technically, we were never without peace." She said, choosing her words carefully.

"This is true." Rasmus answered. "But let's be honest, you haven't been very fond of us for the last number of months. And I believe that's putting it mildly." He paused for a second. "Am I right?"

She didn't want to admit it, but it was true. Elsa had hated the Southern Isles this entire time. There were occasions where she felt like declaring war, especially when she was remembering how her and Anna had been hurt by them. Hopefully, Rasmus didn't see this in her as well.

"Yes." She told him, quickly and simply.

Rasmus gave a quick nod, showing he took no offense. "Of course. And it was completely understandable. However, it is that fear and animosity that I wish to alleviate."

The nature of the Odin's arrival and the bizarre meeting they were now having with Rasmus certainly did not alleviate any fear Elsa had been having. It had probably done the opposite. As for animosity, it seemed distant compared to the fear at the moment.

Rasmus glanced over all six of them as he paced slowly to the right of his table.

"I know what you're all thinking. Right now you're all wondering if this is too good to be true."

He was right. Many of them, especially Elsa and Halvard were thinking that. They were also curious about how he seemed to know so much about them.

He continued as he paused on the far right side of the room. "And you're also wondering why the Odin is such a large and heavily armed vessel. Is this the ship of someone seeking peace? Or seeking war?"

A brief pause as he let them realise this as well.

"But I'm sure you're also thinking that the opportunities peace between our kingdoms brings are far too good to ignore." He looked down showing the first sign of uncertainty he had displayed thus far. "And frankly, I'm really hoping you'll see this. Because peace would be beneficial for both you and me."

"Correct again." Elsa replied after a few seconds. She always yearned for peace between the nearby kingdoms and Arendelle, especially after the great freeze.

"Then I suggest we get to know each other better." Rasmus said to her. He walked back over behind his desk to face Elsa directly.

"Come to dinner, Your Majesty. Tonight, in the Southern Isles. Just the two of us." He spoke cheerfully now. All evidence of the stark realizations he was explaining before had vanished.

Elsa would rather have met him on the Boreas where she felt a bit safer, but suggesting such a change might be considered rude and she didn't want to upset Rasmus.

Halvard, Kristoff, Anna, Rapunzel, and Eugene all looked at Elsa, wondering what her response would be. Part of them hoped she would say no.

"Very well." Elsa replied, still uncertain if there was another option.

"Excellent!" Rasmus exclaimed. He motioned towards Dagmar who had been in the room the entire time. The prince left through a door on the left wall.

Almost immediately after, the doors behind them opened up again and the two guards who had brought them in stood ready to escort them back to the Boreas.

"Until tonight then, Queen Elsa." He looked at the queen with a smile. "We have much to discuss."

Elsa nodded but didn't say a word. All six of them were escorted out of the room and the doors were closed. They were brought back through the corridors and out to the main deck where they walked back to the Boreas in silence.

* * *

Once they were all aback aboard the Boreas and could talk freely, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Being in Rasmus' presence was intense, despite Elsa saying that she found him less intimidating than she expected. Anna immediately went up to Elsa to try and talk her out of the dinner she agreed to attend.

"You're not really gonna go have dinner with that guy are you?" She asked, hand on her hips and eyes locking directly with her sister's. "You really wanna sit down and have a 'nice fancy meal' with that creep?"

"To be honest, no. I'd really rather not. It will probably be very awkward." The queen replied. "And I'm not sure if I would go so far as to call him a 'creep' Anna. He was just... a bit unusual."

"He knew tons of things about us when we knew practically nothing about him. That's creepy if you ask me!" Replied Anna, raising her voice to show her agitation, but also her concern for Elsa's safety.

"If anything, that is simply a testament to the Southern Isles' intelligence network." Said Halvard. "However, I am inclined to agree with the Princess, Your Majesty. You going _alone_ over to their _main keep_ is not something I would recommend. They could easily capture you without us even knowing."

"Ha!" Anna exclaimed as she pointed a finger at Elsa, happy that Halvard had chosen to support her. "I'm not the only one who thinks that you shouldn't go." Now, she crossed her arms in triumph.

"Well, I didn't exactly say _that_ Your Highness." Halvard added, now looking at Anna.

"What? But... but you said..." The redhead sputtered.

"I said I don't recommend Elsa going over there, much like you implied, Princess." Halvard looked towards Elsa again. "However, I cannot see any reasonable alternatives at the time. Unfortunately, you really have to go Your Majesty, if we are to have any hope of finalizing this new agreement with them."

Elsa walked closer to Anna who was standing with her arms crossed, pouting.

"I really do appreciate the concern Anna. But don't worry, it's just for a few hours."

Anna's expression of concern changed to one of defeat.

"Okaaay..." She sighed, giving in to her sister once again. "Just _please..._ Be careful."

"I always am."

"Yeah, besides..." Eugene spoke up from behind them. "I'm sure Rasmus is just as nervous for this dinner as you are..."

They all turned to look at him, wondering how true that statement was.

"...Right?"

Realistically, it probably wasn't true at all.


	13. Chapter 13 - The Dinner

Chapter 13 - The Dinner

"We all stood behind you, Rasmus, when you assassinated Andor. We too recognized his weakness and inability to use force."

Marcus, one of Rasmus' brothers, stood in the middle of the council chamber and questioned the King. His tone did not show the respect that he once had for his eldest brother.

"After he was gone, you told us that the Southern Isles were ready to start expanding again. Now here we are, months later, and nothing has happened yet."

Several of the other princes were in the chamber as well, including Stefan, who stood beside Marcus as he ranted. Dagmar and Hans sat on either side of Rasmus behind the large table in the room, as usual.

"I don't understand the reasoning behind this delay." Marcus concluded, hoping to get an explanation from Rasmus.

Rasmus had one elbow resting on the table with his hand rubbing his temple as his brother questioned him. He always had a short temper, but he was trying to keep from yelling back at Marcus. He needed his support for the plans he had in store.

"You don't have to understand, Marcus. Just trust that..."

Rasmus was cut off by Marcus who threw another question at him.

"And bringing the Queen of Arendelle here. What possible purpose could that have?" He asked. Baffled as to why Rasmus would willingly bring another kingdom's flagship into their harbor.

"I do have a purpose." Rasmus replied, barely able to hold back his annoyance at these questions.

Marcus wanted answers. Now!

"Then perhaps you would be so kind as to inform us..."

"Enough, Marcus!" Rasmus snapped, Him cutting his brother off this time. He had both hands on the arms of his char now, and he was leaning forward in the seat.

Everyone in the room held their breath after Rasmus' outburst. Marcus didn't show any fear, but he too became silent. Rasmus slowly lowered himself back into a comfortable seating position as he kept staring at Marcus.

"You really have a problem with being patient, brother." Rasmus began calmly. "And your constant doubt is really starting to show off a lack of faith as well."

Marcus stayed quiet, still staring directly at Rasmus. After pondering for a moment he decided to let the matter go and keep his mouth shut.

"You can go now." Rasmus told him, breaking the silence. "I have other business to attend to."

Marcus and Stefan turned to exit the room, disappointed that they had not been able to leave with any more information than they came in with. Rasmus began talking with Dagmar and Hans as the two walked out of the chamber. Once the doors were closed, Stefan stopped to ask Marcus a question.

"I wonder how long before we are the next brothers to end up mysteriously dead."

Stefan continued walking, leaving Marcus standing in the hallway.

He didn't answer.

* * *

Back on the Boreas, Elsa had just departed the ship by rowboat. Captain Halvard planned to row her to shore where she would have her dinner with King Rasmus.

The sun had not yet set, but it was low enough that the Boreas was now in the shadow of one of the many islands that surrounded the channel in which it was anchored. In the dimming light, some members of the crew began to light the ships lanterns, while others headed down to the galley for supper.

Up near the front of the ship, a pair of hands grasped the Boreas' railing from off the edge. A hooded man pulled himself up and vaulted himself onto the deck. With the crew out of sight, he was not noticed. Trained in stealth and an expert in being undetected, he began to carry out his mission aboard the Boreas as all those onboard remained oblivious to his presence.

* * *

Elsa and Rasmus had been having dinner in the large council chamber of the Southern Isles. A moderately sized table had been set up on the left side of the room, behind the large columns that held up the arched ceiling of the chamber.

They were just finishing up their main course. Already, they had touched on several topics including new trade partnerships and an exchange of ambassadors, however neither of them wanted to spend the entire meal discussing business. The main purpose of the dinner was to get to know each other.

"Once again, Your Majesty, I cannot apologize enough for the events that befell you and your sister at the hands of my youngest brother." Rasmus explained to her as she took a sip of wine. "His actions were deplorable and do not represent the nature of the rest of his siblings."

"I would hope not." She replied, trying not to sound rude, but wanting to convey how she would not tolerate similar behavior ever again.

Rasmus stopped eating and stared at a blank spot on the table as he thought.

"I never would have assumed my own brother was capable of such treachery."

He looked up to see Elsa shifting in her seat. She was uncomfortable as the memories of Hans nearly killing her and leaving Anna to die were brought up in her mind again.

"I'm sorry," Rasmus told her. "you probably don't want to hear about this, do you?"

"It's alright." She said, lowering her fork down to the plate with a clink. Despite not wanting to remember what Hans did, there was one question regarding him that she was curious about.

"Speaking of Hans..." She began. "...where is he right now?"

"Spending some time in a prison cell." He answered dryly. "Actually, quite a lot of time."

Knowing Hans was safely locked away was comforting to Elsa, but knowing that Rasmus disapproved of his actions so strongly was even more reassuring. Perhaps Hans truly was nothing like his other brothers.

Her meal now finished, Elsa stood up and walked over to the smaller table to the right, picking up the bottle of wine they had been drinking. She walked back over to the dining table, and as a polite gesture, poured Rasmus another glass.

"So, I'm not as intimidating as you had expected?" Elsa asked him, bringing up what he had mentioned when they first met a few hours ago. She re-filled her own glass of wine as well, set the bottle on the table and took her seat again.

"Well... I half expected you to show up to our meeting surrounded by a constant blizzard, with imposing armour of ice and fluttering capes." Rasmus told her, half jokingly.

Elsa let out a single chuckle. "I only wear that outfit on _very_ special occasions."

Rasmus let out a laugh this time. Elsa was pleased to see that they were at a level of comfort where they could make little jokes with each other. There were still many questions she wanted to know the answers to, however, and she felt that now was the appropriate time to ask the one she had been saving all evening.

"If I may ask. How did you come to be king of the Southern Isles?"

Rasmus seemed stunned by the question, but he did not hesitate to provide his answer.

"My elder brother, Andor, was the king up until about eight months ago." He began. "He is dead now, and I was next in line..." Rasmus averted his eyes from Elsa's and looked to his left as he continued. "...so the throne became my responsibility."

Elsa was expecting a little more information than that, but she was uncertain if she should pry further. Fortunately, Rasmus was willing to elaborate.

"But I'm sure your intelligence reports had already told you that, Your Majesty." He looked back at her now. "What you want to know, is _how _he died."

Her silence gave him the confirmation he needed to keep going.

"The truth is, Queen Elsa... My brother was not the most capable leader."

Elsa listened intently as he spoke, a somewhat blank expression on her face as to not let him monitor her reaction to his story.

"Ever since Andor took the throne, after my father passed away, he had been all too eager to take... duplicitous political actions. He would often have plans drafted for the subtle takeover of many of the region's kingdoms. He never acted on any of them, of course, but the mere fact that he considered them showed that he had a deceitful side."

Rasmus took a sip of his wine before continuing with his tale.

"Many of Andor's actions would leave the council wondering about his true intentions. For example, his punishment of Hans upon his return was mild, to say the least. Although no one would say it, some of us felt that he condoned what Hans had done... possibly even told him to do it in the first place."

It was shocking for Elsa to hear this. In the back of her mind she had always blamed the entirety of the Southern Isles for the attempted takeover of Arendelle, but realistically, she knew Hans was most likely working alone. Now she realized that her gut reaction may have been right, that the former king of the Southern Isles could have been in on the plot to overthrow Arendelle and kill her and Anna.

"He had to be stopped." Rasmus said in a solemn voice. "He had to be removed from power before he took action that would have damaged the Southern Isles. I had to remove him... And so I did... As you can imagine, he wasn't too happy about it."

He paused again before concluding.

"I had hoped it would have ended more peacefully."

Elsa didn't have to hear him say it to know what he was implying. Rasmus had been forced to kill his own brother. The thought was sickening to her. She loved her sibling, Anna, so much that she would never be able to harm her. No matter what she did. But if Andor really was as bad as Hans... Perhaps she could understand Rasmus' situation a little bit. Even if she didn't agree with his actions.

"So you did what you thought was necessary for the good of your kingdom?" She asked him after a long silence.

"That has been the single motivation behind everything I've done since taking my place as King." He spoke with confidence again. "From building the Odin to ensure the protection of our waters, to inviting you here so that I could show you my sincerity. I knew I had to try and repair the damage some of my brothers had done."

"And how many of your brothers met an untimely end so that you could repair this damage?" She asked him, knowing that at least one was dead and another was in prison, although she didn't mind the latter of those two.

"Unfortunately... too many... but the vast majority of us remained loyal to the ideals that our father had ingrained in us." He leaned towards Elsa, looking into her eyes. "The idea that we can grow as a kingdom, peacefully."

Elsa took in everything he had said. Foremost in her mind were the benefits to both their kingdoms that he had mentioned earlier. His offer seemed genuine, and his behavior didn't show any sign of ulterior motives. However, she couldn't completely shake the nagging fear of what might happen if she was too quick to trust the Southern Isles again.

After a moment of silence, she got up from her chair.

"I'm trying to believe you Rasmus." She said as she walked towards the center of the council chamber, admiring the grandness of the architecture. "If there is one thing that we seem to share, it's that our kingdoms, and those around us, can be united peacefully."

She watched Rasmus stand and walk away from the dining table, leaning against one of the pillars of the room.

"Nothing would make me happier than to take your hand in friendship. To bring the relationship our kingdoms had back to what it was, possibly even something greater." Said Elsa, looking at the King. "In time... when a mutual trust has been earned."

Rasmus smiled. Impressed with her words. "And hopefully that trust is burgeoned sooner than we think."

"Yes. I'm sure it will be."


	14. Chapter 14 - Mysteries

Chapter 14 - Mysteries

Elsa had arrived back on the Boreas a few minutes after sunset. Although Halvard had taken her to shore on one of their rowboats, Rasmus had provided the transportation for the queen to return to her vessel. The small boat that brought her back was turning away from the Boreas and heading back to shore as Elsa walked across the deck.

Before she could get far, Halvard approached her, looking deeply concerned.

"Your Majesty, I assume everything went well with the King?" He asked politely.

"Yes captain, it was a productive evening. Much smoother than I had anticipated." She saw that Halvard was glad to hear that she enjoyed the dinner, but it was clear that he also had something else on his mind.

"Is everything alright, Halvard?"

He looked form side to side, ensuring that they could not be overheard by any of the crew. He did not want them all to hear what he had to say. Not yet anyway.

"I'm not sure Elsa." He began, using her name instead of her title as she preferred when they were alone. "As you had ordered, I've been examining the Odin closely while it is anchored beside us." He stopped for a second.

"Yes?" She questioned, urging him to continue.

"Well, I've been studying all aspects of the vessel, and I've noticed something peculiar about its movement.. or rather, its lack thereof."

"It's movement?" Elsa was not sure if she was following what the captain was saying. To her knowledge, the Odin had not moved since it anchored beside the Boreas earlier in the afternoon.

"Yes Elsa. It's movement with the waves. All ships, even large ones, bob and roll as they are buffeted by waves. When they are sitting still, like our vessels have been, it is even easier to notice."

"Right. I can feel the deck moving slightly now, even though the waters are fairly calm." She told him, showing that she understood what he meant.

"Precisely." He replied. "Even with the small waves in this channel, a large vessel such as ours is not completely stationary. The Odin, however..." He looked over Elsa's shoulder towards the Odin, which was difficult to see details of in the dark.

"I've been watching the vessel for the past several hours, and it has barely moved at all in that entire time." He explained in a grim tone.

Looking over to the Odin for a brief moment, Elsa was able to get an idea of what the captain was talking about. The Southern Isles ship did not budge at all. No slight rolling or listing as the gentle swells of the sea impacted its hull. It was almost as if it were attached to the shore.

"Could it be simply because the Odin is a much larger ship than the Boreas?" She asked him. "You did say it appeared to have a wide and stable hull."

Halvard shook his head. "Even a vessel _that_ large would move at least a bit as the waves hit it. The Odin has not moved at all from what I can tell."

They both remained silent for a moment as they eyed the Odin up and down. Halvard then continued.

"The only explanation I can come up with, is that the Odin is _much_ heavier than a ship of its size should be. A heavier ship would be less affected by buffeting of the waves."

"But what could make it so heavy. And _why_ would they build it to be so heavy?" It didn't make sense to Elsa. From what she knew, a lighter ship meant more speed and manoeuvrability in the water.

"I don't know." Halvard answered. "And that's what worries me."

As if she didn't have enough mysteries to wonder about... Elsa decided to keep it in mind, but for the moment, she was tired and wanted to relax. After all, it had been a very busy day.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention Halvard. Try and find out more, but be discreet. I'm going to retire for the night."

"Of course, Elsa." He said, a warm smile on his face. "Good night."

"Good night." Elsa replied. She walked towards the door that led to her cabin, hoping to see Anna and let her know she was ok before heading to bed.

* * *

In the council chambers, back on shore, Rasmus was sitting at the dining table. It had not been cleared of the dirty plates and used silverware yet, even though Elsa had left quite some time ago. The king sat with his chin resting in his palm, thinking as the candlelight reflected across his face.

Hans walked in from the door and up to the Rasmus, who didn't budge as he approached.

"This was a mistake." Hans began. "We're wasting even more time."

Rasmus looked up at him now, agitation in his eyes.

"It's _my_ time! And I will spend it in whatever way I choose." He snapped at Hans, who did not flinch or back down.

"Still, we should not forget our plans. Now that Elsa is here we should act! Immediately!" Hans urged, forcefully. Hoping to get Rasmus to speed up the timetable a bit.

Instead of getting angrier, Rasmus relaxed once again. He realized that most of his supporters were probably sharing Hans' opinion. The initial intention was to put the plan in motion once the Boreas had arrived. The dinner was an afterthought on his part, and thus, delayed the action.

"We will return to the Odin. I was merely curious about her." He told Hans, standing up and walking to the center of the chamber. "You were right about one thing... She is a pacifist."

* * *

Elsa sat behind the desk in her cabin, examining the stone they had discovered on the icy island three days ago. She knew a little more about it than when they first found it, but not much. Kristoff told her that it looked familiar to Fire Stones that his troll family often found and kept. The only difference was that this stone was blue instead of red-orange. This led him and Elsa to believe that it might have been some kind of 'Ice Stone'. It was the only theory they had, and it made sense for the moment. The Ice Stone's purpose and how it got on the island were still a mystery.

A very familiar knock came on her door. She knew who it was.

"Come in, Anna."

Opening the door and stepping into Elsa's cabin, Anna walked over to her sister with a smile. When Elsa didn't find her in her cabin, she told one of the guards to let Anna know that she was back. She figured that her sister was most likely in the galley with Kristoff or off exploring parts of the ship again with Rapunzel. Seeing her smile again ensured her that Anna had been fine while she was on shore with Rasmus.

"Figure out anything new." Anna asked, gesturing to the Ice Stone as she took a seat on the side of Elsa's bed.

"Nothing. And I still have no idea how it managed to give you some ice magic for a few moments." Elsa replied. She put the stone back in the box on her desk where it had been sitting for the past several days. "We'll have to ask the Trolls more when we get home."

She leaned back in her chair to relax, glad that today's negotiations were over, but curious about what tomorrow would bring.

"So..." Anna began. "...on a scale of one to ten, how awkward was the dinner?" She asked Elsa in a joking tone.

Elsa let out a giggle. "Actually, it wasn't that bad. Rasmus is an interesting person. Hopefully we can come to the peaceful agreement that he proposes."

Anna was surprised by the answer she got. Elsa paused for a moment before finishing her thought.

"But... I'm not ready to completely trust him just yet. There's still a number of things that concern me." Things like how Rasmus had killed his brother. Things like how the captain finds something peculiar about the Odin. Elsa wanted to settle these doubts before lowering her guard around Rasmus.

"Do you think he really wants peace? Do you think he's telling the truth?" The redhead asked her sister.

Elsa had been asking herself those very questions ever since she got the letter. "I think so. At this point, it's more a matter of his methods for attaining peace that concern me."

She didn't want to have to tell her sister this, but Anna had told Elsa several times that she didn't like to be sheltered from the truth. Elsa respected that and valued her sister's opinions, so she decided to let her know.

"Rasmus was responsible for Andor's death."

Anna was shocked to hear this. "He killed the former king? ...his own brother!?" The words surprised her as much as they had surprised Elsa when Rasmus told her a few hours ago.

"Yes." Elsa replied. "He said Andor was a corrupt king, driven by secretive plans of conquest. He may have even been working with Hans to carry out the actions he took in Arendelle."

This shocked Anna even more. Part of her was disgusted that Rasmus would kill his own brother, but at the same time, another part of her was relieved that someone who had planned to hurt her and her sister was out of the way. It was a strange mix of emotions.

"But even though he claims he did it for a greater good... it still disturbs me." Elsa lowered her head and looked at the floor. At first she hoped that Anna would provide a second opinion on the topic, but now she realized that it had probably freaked her out too much to say anything. She regretted mentioning it.

A few seconds went by before Anna broke the silence between them. Looking up timidly to her sister, she asked her a question that she had been thinking about for quite a while.

"Elsa?"

The blonde looked up to meet her sister's gaze as Anna went on.

"Have you ever... killed anyone... using your powers?" She asked quietly, somewhat ashamed by even posing the question.

Elsa's mouth opened a little in shock. She was a bit taken back by the question at first, but considering the power and potential danger of her magic, she quickly realized that it was a completely valid question.

Regaining her composure, she answered. "Of course not." It wasn't a lie. She always tried to use her powers in a non-lethal manner. Even when they were fleeing the natives on the ice island, she only ever incapacitated her attackers. "Why do you ask, Anna?"

Anna felt embarrassed to go on, but this was something she had to get off her chest.

"Well..." She began, looking down at the ground again. "Being here, in the Southern Isles, has brought back a few bad memories. Memories of the Great Freeze."

Elsa listened to Anna without saying a word as she went on.

"I remember seeing Hans, with his sword drawn, about to attack you from behind out on the frozen fjord. And I remember what I was feeling at the time. I had the same feeling a couple of times afterwards too... when he was in the dungeon before being taken back here." She looked down at her hands. "I was so angry... and... I wanted to kill him."

Taking in everything she was saying Elsa was about to comment when Anna continued to talk.

"It was... It was a terrible feeling, but I couldn't get rid of it. It popped up several times in my mind... I wanted to kill him for what he had done." Anna glanced up at her sister again with watery eyes. "Does that make me... a killer?"

"Oh, Anna." Elsa sat up from her chair and walked over to take a seat beside Anna on the bed. She put her arm around her and gave her a squeeze. "No it doesn't."

Anna was not convinced.

"But if I'm capable of thinking it... than how can you be sure I wouldn't be capable of _doing_ it?"

"Because _everyone_ is capable of thinking it." Elsa sighed. "When Hans was in the dungeon for those couple of days, I considered it as well. Not only that, but the entire council told me that execution was an option I could consider. After what he did to Arendelle... after what he did to _you_, I gave it serious thought."

Anna sniffled. Her head resting against Elsa's shoulder as she listened.

"You see, the thing that separates most people from killers, is that people like you and I are able to tell ourselves that we will not act on those thoughts. I think it's normal to have those feelings when someone hurts us or the ones we love. But we are able to distinguish the difference between having that impulse, and carrying it out." She angled her head to Anna's as she finished. "I could have killed Hans for what he had done, but I chose not to... just as you did."

Elsa pulled Anna up so that they could look each other in the eye. "So you're not a killer. Okay?"

"Okay." Replied Anna in a very small voice.

"And don't worry about me. I have no intention to ever take a life using my powers. That's a promise." Elsa added. "So, feeling better?"

She was feeling better, and also felt a bit relieved. Elsa's promise resonated in her mind. "Yeah. Thank you Elsa."

"You're welcome."

Wiping her nose and getting up from the bed, Anna started making her way to the door, walking backwards while talking.

"Well... I'd better let you get some rest. I'm sure you wanna be ready for more meetings tomorrow."

She was tired, but she always had energy to discuss important matters with her sister.

"Yeah." She said as she stretched. "I probably should get to bed."

"Me too. Kristoff's probably wondering where I am."

Elsa let out a giggle as she thought of a way to tease Anna. It would also hopefully take her mind completely off of the depressing conversation they just had.

"You know, ordinarily I would say 'don't do anything I wouldn't do...', but now that you're both married... well... have fun." She looked at Anna with a smile and raised eyebrows.

Anna figured out what she was implying and felt her cheeks warm up a bit.

"Uh... heh... yeah." She stammered. "Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight Anna."

She closed the door and left, heading to her and Kristoff's cabin which was a few feet down the corridor.


	15. Chapter 15 - Violation

**A/N:** And now for the chapter that gives this story it's "T" rating. But don't be afraid by the chapter's title, this story will never contain anything explicit or overly disturbing. Hold onto your butts! From here on, the story is intense.

* * *

Chapter 15 - Violation

It was late at night, past ten-o-clock, and Anna and Kristoff were both in their cabin getting ready for bed. Kristoff had the clothes he brought folded neatly in the drawers near his bedside. It was easy for him to find what he needed and get access to it. Anna's clothes, on the other hand, were strewn all over the room. Back in the castle, the staff would normally tidy her room by putting all of her clothes in her wardrobe or her closet. But out here on the Boreas, no one was doing that for her. Not that she minded, she didn't expect it, but the growing mess made it hard for her to find what she wanted to wear.

"Why don't you actually hang some stuff up in the closet." Kristoff suggested as he pointed to the large walk-in closet that was attached to the cabin. "I did leave all of it for you so that you could fit the hundreds of clothes you brought."

"There's not _hundreds_ Kristoff!" She replied while bouncing around the room, looking for her nightdress. "Dozens maybe, but not _hundreds_."

"Riiiight..." He answered. He could probably count over a hundred things form where he was standing, so he knew his wording was more accurate. "Well, when you do find what you're looking for, maybe we can... get to bed?"

She stopped moving and looked up at him, her cheeks feeling a little warm again.

"Well... that's what I had planned." She said, returning the smile he was giving her.

"Alright then. I'll be back in a few minutes..." Kristoff told her, awkwardly stepping over piles of clothes. "... I'm gonna head down to the galley to get a quick snack."

"Okay... See you soon."

She watched him walk out the door of the cabin and close it.

With a giddy feeling in her stomach, and renewed determination, she resumed frantically searching through the piles of clothes for what she planned to wear. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she found the nightdress she had been looking for.

"How did it even get there?" She spoke to herself. "I had it yesterday..."

Suddenly, from over near the window, Anna thought she heard a sound. It sounded as though it came from the other side of the window. From outside the ship.

The noise made her freeze as she held her night clothes in her hands. She stood silent for a moment before shrugging it off. _It was probably just the boat creaking,_ She thought to herself. _Boats are always making a lot of little noises._

Immediately after she had reassured herself, she heard the noise again. Louder this time, and it was definitely not a normal ship sound.

She turned her head quickly to the window and started slowly walking towards it. Reaching the glass, she put her hands to it and peered out into the darkness. The window she was looking out was at the very back of the Boreas. Large and stretching the entire width of the back of the boat, it gave a good view of the channel that the ship was still sitting in. However, it gave no view of anything out of the ordinary.

Dismissing the sound once again, she began to take off her clothes and put on the nightgown she had desperately been looking for moments ago.

Once it was on, she heard yet another unfamiliar sound. Except this one came from behind her. She was locked in terror for a moment, but decided that she didn't want to leave her back faced to whatever made that noise. Half expecting the boogie-man to be standing behind her, she turned quickly with her fists raised in a fighting position.

The only thing she saw was a dimly illuminated and very messy cabin. Still, she was certain she heard something, so she began slowly walking towards the even more dimly illuminated walk-in closet to the back left of the room. Nearing it, and letting her eyes adjust to the dark, she looked in to see nothing.

Just as she was wondering if she was hearing things, a hand quickly grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth.

"Mmhhmpph!" She tried to yell but was muffled by the assailant. A second hand wrapped around her below her neck to hold her in place, preventing her from running.

"Well, well, well..." a voice began. "..look who I've stumbled upon."

The voice was calm and smooth, and it sent shivers down Anna's spine. What's worse was that she was fairly certain she recognized the voice.

"Not the sister I was expecting..." the male voice continued. "But judging by the cabin's state of disarray, I should have assumed it belonged to you... Anna."

At the mention of her name, the man holding her flipped her around so that she was facing him. Her eyes grew wide in terror as she looked at the face of the man.. _that man_... the one who had played a cruel game with her heart, the one who had almost killed her and her sister, the one she still had nightmares about... Hans.

"Hhrrrrmmmmp!" She tried to scream again, but was still being silenced by Hans' grip on her mouth. Trying to overpower him was useless, she did not have the strength.

"It's good to see you again." He continued, a devilish smile on his face. He looked down at her body as he continued to hold her in place. "It's a shame our engagement didn't last any longer. I would have enjoyed seeing you like this on more occasions."

Anna gave him a nervous frown, making the angriest eyebrows she could, hoping to look at least a little bit intimidating. It didn't work.

"So is this what that lumbering oaf you married sees every night when he climbs into bed? I really don't know what makes him more worthy than me." Hans pushed her violently against the wooden wall of the cabin, pressing her tightly against it so that he could keep her still while only using the one hand that was still covering her mouth.

This left his other hand free, and Anna looked down towards that hand in horror, dreading what he might do with it next.

"I really should be going." He said, looking to the side then back at her. "After all, I have much more important things to do than waste my time here... But I suppose I can spare a few moments... for old time's sake."

Anna moaned in fear as Hans began rubbing a finger down her neck. He traced her shoulder and moved down her bare arm until coming to her hip where he used his whole hand to feel her though the fabric of her night clothes.

She felt helpless. All Anna wanted was for him to go away and for this to be over. She felt his hand move down the hem of her dress and onto her thigh where he stopped and began to move upward again. She knew what was next, and she knew there was nothing she could do about it.

Fortunately, like a prince on a horse, riding to the rescue, Kristoff opened the door to the cabin and stepped in, interrupting Hans.

"Sorry I took so long, but..." His words were cut off as he saw Hans, holding a barely clothed Anna against the wall, complete panic in her eyes.

Hans pulled Anna swiftly away from the wall, putting his arm around her neck again, and stood holding her between himself and Kristoff.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Kristoff yelled in maniacal rage as he started to dash towards Hans, wanting to tear him limb from limb.

Hans let go of the grip he had on Anna's mouth and promptly pulled a knife out from behind him, holding it to her chin.

"Ah, ah, ah, mountain man." He told Kristoff in a frustratingly calm voice. "Any closer and the princess here gets a new breathing hole in her neck. And if you make any loud noises, same result."

Anna looked at her husband, pleadingly. "Kristoff. Please help me."

Keeping his voice down this time, but still speaking forcibly, Kristoff demanded Anna's release again. "Let her go, Hans."

"Oh I intend to... after all, she's not even the reason I was here." He scooted across the cabin towards the back right window, Anna still in his grasp. "But before I go... a little parting gift."

Keeping the knife pointed at the side of her face, Hans swung Anna around enough so that she was facing him. Then, to Kristoff and Anna's surprise, he planted his lips on hers and forced a kiss.

Horrified, Kristoff took a step forward to try and stop him. Still in the kiss, Hans glanced up at him and pushed the knife harder into her neck, drawing a little blood at the tip, causing Kristoff to stop in his tracks once again.

After a few more appalling seconds, Anna was released from the kiss and turned around so that her back was facing Hans again.

"Well it's been a lovely visit, but I really should be going." He then thrust Anna forward, sending her flying into Kristoff. Before either of them could regain their balance, Hans smashed the window behind him and jumped out of the room, into the darkness of the night.

"STOP!" Kristoff yelled, holding the frightened Anna, but it was too late. Hans was gone.

* * *

Minutes later, Anna, Kristoff, Rapunzel, Eugene and Halvard were standing outside on the deck of the ship. Anna was holding tightly onto Kristoff, who had one arm around her protectively. Elsa quickly ran out to meet all of them on deck once she had been told about the attack.

"Anna! What happened!?" The queen asked.

Anna was still shaken, but managed to utter a few words.

"It... It was Hans." She told her.

"Hans!" Elsa yelled, shocked. "How did _he _ get on the ship!"

"I don't know. He... he was in the room and... and he..." Anna couldn't finish, she put her face into Kristoff's chest and began to sob.

Elsa still wanted to know what had happened, but she could see that Anna was very shaken so she didn't want to press her more. Fortunately, Kristoff continued for her.

"It was... It was a violation, Elsa." He told her, having difficulty saying it himself.

Elsa understood what he meant immediately, and she could barely believe it.

"If I hadn't have come back in the room when I did..." Kristoff didn't need to finish his sentence for everyone to know what he meant.

Elsa was relieved to at least know that Kristoff had interrupted Hans before he could finish what he started, but she was still furious. Not at Kristoff, of course, but at Hans. First he almost takes over her kingdom, then he almost violates her sister. This man was a demon.

Hoping to bring Elsa out of her state of rage, Kristoff spoke up again.

"He said he wasn't here for Anna to begin with." Kristoff began, remembering what Hans had said. "I think he might have been after you, Elsa. He must have assumed you would have been in the largest cabin."

Elsa paced over to the railing of the ship and griped it with both hands, trying to calm down.

"Rasmus told me Hans was in prison! How could he get onboard if he was locked up?"

"Perhaps he escaped." Halvard spoke up.

"Or was let out." Added Eugene. "He probably had help."

Elsa turned around to face the group again. Anger still in her eyes and a small patch of frost beginning to form on the deck beneath her.

"Captain, I want guards posted all over the ship at ALL TIMES from now on. And double the guards posted outside Kristoff and Anna's cabin! From now on, there is no area on this ship that is not secure!"

"Yes, Queen Elsa."

"I will speak with Rasmus about this in the morning, right now I wan..." Elsa was interrupted by a pair of hooded men who were suddenly gripping onto the side of the Boreas's railing. They pulled her up, over the edge and out of sight in less than a second.

"Elsa!" "Your Majesty!" Anna and Halvard both yelled simultaneously. Kristoff, Eugene and Rapunzel all gasped in shock to see the queen abducted so swiftly.

Almost immediately, the Odin began pulling away from its position beside the Boreas. Halvard ran to the railing to look over for any sign of the queen. He could see nothing but the blackness of the waves lapping up against the side of the ship.

"All hands! To your stations!" He yelled as he ran back to the middle of the deck and towards the stairs leading up to the quarterdeck.

The Odin continued to pull away, its stern almost past the Boreas' bow by the time the crew had begun to scramble into position.

"Raise the sails! Bring up the anchor and get ready to pursue!"

Halvard stood at the ships wheel where the others had come up to join him as well.

"You think they took her to the Odin?" Kristoff asked Halvard.

"Yes I do. And we're going to get her back!" The captain replied confidently.

Just then, the crew who were up the main mast got ready to unfold the sail and let it expand to catch the wind. However, when they released the ropes holding the rolled up fabric, the entire sail detached from the mast and came crashing down onto the deck. The captain and the others turned their heads as the massive roll hit the deck with a thump, causing men to quickly jump to the side in order to avoid being crushed.

Almost immediately after, the sail attached to the foremast came down as well. More men had to dodge the falling material, and decorative railings were snapped from the weight of the impact.

One of the crewmen came running up the stairs to Halvard. "We've been sabotaged sir! The rigging holding the sails to the masts have all been cut!"

Halvard was stunned. In all his years as a captain, he had never allowed anyone to sabotage one of his ships. Now, it had happened to his newest ship. The flagship of Arendelle. What was worse was the fact that Elsa had been kidnapped right off the deck of the ship. This must have all been planned in advance. The southern Isles had fooled them again.

"What does that mean?" Anna asked regarding the crewman's report.

"It means, Princess, that we're not going anywhere."


	16. Chapter 16 - Kidnapped

Chapter 16 - Kidnapped

Elsa stood tied to a wall inside the Odin. From the looks of the instruments around her she was in some kind of examination chamber, perhaps an infirmary. The crewmen of the Odin who kidnapped her off the deck of the Boreas had knocked her out as they transferred her aboard, most likely to prevent her from freezing her captors solid as they did so. Now that she was conscious again, her hands were tied behind her back and placed in covered shackles, similar to the ones Hans had put her in nine months ago.

The doors to the room she was in opened, and in came Rasmus along with two guards... and Hans. This confirmed her fears. Hans had not escaped from prison, he was working _with_ Rasmus when he boarded the Boreas and terrorised Anna. This must have been his plan all along. The things she didn't know now were; _why_ and _what was next?_

"Hello Elsa." Rasmus greeted as he walked in. Not providing a bow or any other courtesies as he came to a stop before her. Hans remained slightly behind and at his side.

"What do you want!?" Elsa demanded, trying not to show her fear. "Why did you bring me here!?"

"I missed our engaging conversations. Thought we could have another one."Replied Rasmus sarcastically.

Elsa realized he had something devious planned, but she went along with the ruse. "If you wanted to chat more I think inviting me for another meal would have been more appropriate than kidnapping me."

Rasmus chuckled at this. "Always so quick on those responses. That's something I like about you."

"What's this about?" Elsa snapped. She was terrified and angry, but most of all curious. Curious as to what was about to become of her and those aboard the Boreas which was most likely still sitting in the Southern Isles' harbour.

"It's about power, Your Majesty! It's about the Future of the Southern Isles!" Rasmus put his hands in the air as he turned around, back to Elsa, and began pacing around the room as he spoke. "My father intended us to grow to become a great power in this land. One that would spread to include many kingdoms. But under the rule of Andor, we stagnated. No new territory was acquired, no great economic growth was observed." He turned now to face her again. his tone changing to one of contained rage. "And then we had an opportunity to begin expanding again nine months ago. You were a young and naive queen who could have easily been overthrown by us, whether through direct confrontation or through subterfuge." He paused only for a moment, close enough to Elsa now that she the hatred in his eyes. "But then, we were stopped by something I never would have expected... your magic."

Elsa knew that it was technically not her magic that directly stopped Hans from taking over Arendelle, in her opinion Anna and Kristoff were the real heroes in that story, but she knew all too well that her powers did play a large part in the events surrounding her coronation. It was therefore understandable that Rasmus blamed her for thwarting his and Hans' plans to conquer Arendelle. It was also obvious that most of what Rasmus had told her over dinner was a lie. He had fooled her like a pro.

Rasmus continued to monologue as Elsa listened on.

"With Arendelle under our control, we would have become one of the major powers in Denmark-Norway. Our influence would have eventually grown to such that empires such as Britain, France, and Russia would have considered us a formidable nation."

Elsa was beginning to wonder if Rasmus was a bit of a megalomaniac. She broke her silence in order to poke holes in his intended plan.

"Didn't you ever consider the possibility that expanding the Southern Isles through conquest might lead the other European powers like Britain, France, or Russia, to view you as a potential threat? Your eagerness to create a 'formidable nation' might just bring destruction to your doorstep as the _real_ major powers in the land decide to crush you before you gain too much strength." Even though Arendelle was a fairly small kingdom, Elsa had always feared this for her own land. She thought it was best to stay small and out of the way in the larger politics of Europe. No superpower would threaten Arendelle if they barely even new they existed. What Rasmus proposed to do with the Southern Isles seemed like the opposite of this. She did not see the logic in it.

"Once again you provide a quick and intelligent response. You evidently see the bigger picture." Said Rasmus. "I'll admit, that was always a concern in the back of my mind. With expansion comes the risk of retaliation. It was a possibility that I couldn't ignore, and the caution I needed to take to prevent it considerably slowed my plans for advancement."

Just as Elsa thought he was going to conclude his speech, and then possibly kill her for revenge, a nefarious smile began to rise on Rasmus' face, one that sent chills down her spine.

"However," He continued. "ironically, the powers that stopped me from taking your kingdom, will be the same powers that ensure I will become immune to any counter-attack, anywhere in the world."

"...what?" Elsa asked in a whisper, more to herself than Rasmus.

He then pointed at her. "With your magic under my control, no power in Europe will dare threaten the Southern Isles."

It didn't take long for Elsa to guess what he meant. "Did you go through all of this... the invitation, the dinner, the offer of peace... just to capture me? If you think I will ever agree to use my powers for your own territorial advancement, then you clearly don't know me as well as you think you do." No matter what he threatened her with, she would never use her powers to harm anyone. She made that promise to Anna, and herself.

"Oh, I'm aware of that." Replied Rasmus smugly as he turned to pace the room once again. "I know you'd be willing to sacrifice yourself, and probably even everyone aboard the Boreas, before you would agree to become my new weapon of war. That's why I'm not even going to ask."

Rasmus then turned and walked towards a small chest that was sitting atop a table located on the right wall of the room. It was locked and he began to open it.

Elsa was confused now, unsure of what Rasmus' next play was. She thought for sure that he would try to force her to use her powers for him, but he had just said that he was not even going to try. She gave Hans a quick glance. He was now leaning against the wall, staying slightly in the shadows.

Rasmus finished unlocking the chest and had swung the hinged lid back as he picked it up to carry over and stand in front of Elsa again. He tilted the box down slightly so that she could see inside it.

"Do you recognize this?" he asked her.

Elsa recognized it immediately. "An Ice Stone?" she blurted out, almost involuntarily. It was identical to the one she had found just a few days ago, the one that should still be in her cabin. Now Rasmus had another one. This couldn't be a coincidence.

"That's right, an Ice Stone." Rasmus angled the chest back towards himself. "When we took you from the Boreas, we took this back as well."

"...took back?" Elsa asked, confused as to why Rasmus chose those words.

"Yes," he began, "you see this is not the _second_ Ice Stone you have come across within a week, this is the same one which you found on that mysterious frozen island. We took it from your cabin."

Elsa was beginning to realize that is was no accident that the Boreas had stumbled across that island. For some reason, Rasmus _wanted_ her to find that stone.

"They really are quite amazing little things these stones." Rasmus continued as he gazed at the blue glow of the rock. "There's a number of types aside from this one and the Fire Stones which I'm sure your esteemed Mountain-Man has told you about."

Elsa remembered Kristoff telling her and Anna stories about how the trolls he grew up with considered the Fire Stones a rare and sacred item, symbolizing the magic that still remained in the world. Magic that must be protected.

"Each of them have different abilities. This one, for example," Rasmus tilted the chest towards Elsa again, "not only has the ability to spread snow and Ice across a small Island, but it also has the ability to channel magic from one source to another."

Elsa didn't completely understand what this meant, but she was slowly piecing together the puzzle as Rasmus spoke.

"These Ice Stones are able to slowly sap the power out of a magical object... or a magical person. The more it is in direct contact with said person, the more power it drains." Explained Rasmus.

Elsa was now beginning to feel waves of fear shoot through her. Could it be that this stone was draining her power without her knowing about it? Was that why she was the only one who was able to touch it?

Rasmus went on, "You handled the stone quite a lot as you examined it. It was no doubt able to absorb almost all of your power in the time you held it." He smiled to himself as he saw her eyes dart around the ground.

Elsa was panicking on the inside, and for a moment she wondered if the Ice Stone had indeed taken her powers. But her panic quickly turned to confusion as she realized that this couldn't be true. She had used her magic since she last touched the stone. Extensively when they were escaping the island, and occasionally afterwards to create clothing and blow out candles across the room as she often did. Also, she didn't feel any different than normal. "You're lying". She said. "I can feel that my powers are still with me."

"I'm sure you do," Said Rasmus "because although the stone has absorbed them, the powers have not yet been fully released to another host. Once they are, I assure you, then you'll notice the difference."

Rasmus raised his right hand as his left continued to hold the small chest that contained the Ice Stone. It then became very clear to Elsa what was about to happen.

"You see, I don't need your cooperation in order to control your powers..." Rasmus explained as his eyes were fixed on the Ice Stone. His hand now moving inside the chest. ".. because _your_ powers, are about to become _my_ powers."

Rasmus then grasped the stone hard with his right hand. Much like with what happened to Anna two days ago when she had touched the stone, a bright blue light emanated from it accompanied by the sound of cracking ice. What was different about this time however, was that Rasmus didn't quickly release the stone as Anna had. He held onto it with a tight grip even though it looked as though he was in pain from doing so. A few seconds after he had grabbed the stone, Elsa began feeling that same pain. It felt as though she were all of a sudden being drained of all energy. She tried to let out a scream, but even her voice seemed to be too weak to come forth. As the stone drained more and more power out of her and into Rasmus, her entire body began to feel heavier and she found it difficult to support herself. If not for the restraints holding her to the wall, she would have collapsed.

After what seemed like endless agony, Elsa felt it all stop. She barely had the strength to look up and see that Rasmus was staggering where he stood, no longer holding the stone.

"Well," He began, clearly winded from the experience. "That was a little more intense than I was expecting."

Elsa would certainly have provided a quick remark in response to Rasmus' surprise of the power she possessed, but she felt too weak to speak. Instead, she just remained still where she was, slouched in the restraints.

"But that only means that the powers I'm gaining are even greater than I had hoped." Rasmus concluded.

He then held up his hand and began to concentrate on what he was envisioning in his mind. A few seconds past, and then a small burst of snow escaped his palm and fluttered slowly in the air before falling down to the deck below him.

Elsa couldn't believe it. He had actually taken her powers from her. Now this maniac was in control of the powers that she knew were capable of bringing terrible destruction. The fear she was experiencing, which would ordinarily create a blizzard in any room she was in, did not drastically alter the weather of the area, but she was surprised to suddenly notice a small patch of frost spreading from where her feet met the wood planks of the floor.

Her powers were still there. Weaker, and they felt farther away, but they were still somewhat with her. Before she could think any further about the implications of her new situation, Rasmus had apparently noticed the frost beneath her as well.

"Hmm, it seems I've not gotten it all yet." He said as he looked at the frosty deck, which was now slowly retreating back towards Elsa. "I can feel it in myself as well. It doesn't feel whole. It's incomplete. I have about half of it... perhaps a bit more." He looked into the chest which held the Ice Stone as he walked back towards the table where it was sitting before.

"I guess it will take more than one session to get all of what you have to offer." Rasmus said as he looked over his shoulder towards Elsa. He closed the lid of the chest and locked it again, then walked back to face Elsa once more. He had seemed to recover from the transfer of power a lot faster than she had.

"Looks like you will need to stay alive for a bit longer than I had initially planned, Your Majesty." Rasmus said to her, coldly. He turned and began walking towards the door. Hans, who had been in the room during the entire ordeal, opened the door for his brother as he approached it.

Before he left the room, Rasmus turned once more to look in Elsa's direction. "But I'm afraid, Elsa, you won't be alive to witness the true capabilities of your former power."

With that, he and Hans walked out the door, closing it and leaving her alone again. In shock, and in fear of what would become of her friends and her family. It took all of her remaining strength to utter the name of the person she was most concerned about at this moment.

"...Anna..."

* * *

**A/N:** And finally Rasmus' intentions are revealed to Elsa, and the purpose of the Ice Stone is brought to light.

This was a fun chapter to write, but the upcoming ones will be great as well. A big thanks to those who have been reading and following the story. Don't hesitate to post a review. I enjoy reading them. That little white box down there is just waiting for some words!


	17. Chapter 17 - Rescue

Chapter 17 - Rescue

_April 11, 1794_

It was now past midnight. Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, and Rapunzel stood on the deck of the Boreas, desperately searching the darkness for any sign of the Odin. Many of the crew were also on the deck, using spyglasses to scour every visible inch of the complex series of channels and inlets in which the Southern Isles' flagship could be hiding. Other members of the crew were frantically attempting to fix the sails of the ship after they had been sabotaged by unseen intruders. Until they were re-attached to the masts, the Boreas was a sitting duck in enemy waters.

"Do you see anything!?" Anna asked Kristoff as he was squinting out over the edge of the boat.

"No, I still can't see any sign of them." He replied, with frustration in his voice.

"This is crazy! How can a ship THAT BIG just disappear!" She screamed.

Eugene spoke up. "It was broad daylight when we arrived here, and even then we didn't see the Odin until it came around that point over there." He pointed to the location in which the Odin had sailed from earlier that day when it made its first appearance to them. "It goes without saying that it's going to be hard to spot it in the dark."

Although Anna knew he was right, and knew everyone was doing their best to locate Elsa, she was still becoming more and more concerned about her sister, and it was driving her crazy! "Aaagh! Who knows what they could be doing to her! She's been gone for hours!"

Rapunzel went over to comfort Anna, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked towards Kristoff and Eugene who both wore helpless expressions on their faces. Each of them wanted to say something to re-assure Anna, but nothing came to mind. They all knew the situation was dire.

* * *

It had been about two hours since Rasmus had subjected Elsa to the procedure that took over half of the magic form her body. Ever since the event, she had been left in the room by herself, still restrained against the wall and unable to escape.

She had regained most of her physical strength by now, but on the inside, she still felt much weaker than normal. Most of her life, she had wanted to be rid of her powers so that she could abandon her isolation and go spend time with Anna. It was only recently that she had embraced who she was, and now she felt a bit empty without all of that same power.

Thoughts of how much longer she had until Rasmus came back to take the rest of her magic, then kill her, swirled around her mind. Escape was impossible, and rescue seemed unlikely.

She jumped as the door to the room began to open. _This is it.._ she thought. _He's back and he's going to finish me off. Don't let him see you cry... don't give him the satisfaction. _

To her surprise it was not Rasmus who was opening the door, but rather... Captain Halvard!

The captain dragged the unconscious body of a Southern Isles guard into the room with Elsa before he quietly closed the door again. He took the guard's musket and pistol, adding it to the sword and crossbow he was already carrying as well.

"Halvard!" Elsa exclaimed. Quietly as not to alert anyone who might overhear.

"Queen Elsa." He greeted, walking over to her and starting to examine the restraints, figuring out how to release her. "Sorry I took so long..."

Never mind the fact that she had been held here for several hours. Elsa was stunned to have been found by any friendly face at all.

"How did you find me?" She asked him.

"I was quite determined." He replied while he began to slowly pry apart some of the restraints with the bayonet on the rifle he had taken. "No one kidnaps my Queen off the deck of the flagship and gets away with it."

The restraints holding her to the wall were ripped apart and Elsa stepped forward to allow Halvard to begin removing her shackles.

"But how did you get here without them seeing you? Is the Boreas safe?"

"The Boreas is waiting exactly where it was before. As for how I got here... I'm a good swimmer." Halvard broke the chains that held the shakes together. With her hands brought to her front, he started to carefully pry them open.

"You swam all the way here from the Boreas?" She asked. Amazed by his stamina.

"Actually, I had to swim around and _find_ the Odin first... then sneak aboard... then search the ship for you." The shackles fell to the floor, leaving Elsa standing free once again. "But it's all in a day's work."

"Halvard, thank you." Elsa couldn't find any more words to properly thank the captain. He went through a strenuous experience and risked his life for the remote chance he would find her. It was that kind of dedication that reassured her he was the perfect man to command Arandelle's navy, and she was glad he was her friend.

"Don't mention it. Actually it was beneficial for many reasons." He started to say. "I found the answers to why the Odin is much heavier than it looks."

Elsa stared at him, waiting for him to continue. He no doubt found out much about the Odin while he was sneaking around trying to find her.

"The hull of this entire ship is lined with iron. The supports keeping the decks together are also covered in iron plates. This ship is designed to be a floating fortress." His speech was concise and to the point, bringing the news abruptly to Elsa.

"So that's it..." She said softly, considering the implications of what she was told.

"There's more." Continued Halvard. "Under the main deck of the Odin, there are a series of immense mortars, larger than any I have ever seen. They can be hoisted up to the deck with a system of pulleys."

Elsa didn't know what to think.

"They are designed to fire exploding shells..." He stopped for a moment to summarize his observations. "It's a bomb ship, Your Majesty, combined with the combat capabilities of a ship-of-the-line. It's a truly formidable weapon."

Still stunned at what Halvard had discovered, Elsa remembered that she had to inform the captain of her own grave discovery.

"Halvard, Rasmus is in control of my powers."

"What?" He didn't know what she meant. Was he forcing her to use her powers against her will?

Elsa pointed to the ice stone which was still in the small chest over on the table. "He used the Ice stone we found to drain my powers. Then he absorbed them into himself... Remember what happened to Anna briefly a few days ago?"

Halvard recalled the princess momentarily gaining a small fraction of Elsa's power after she just grazed the stone. If Rasmus had taken even more...

"...my God..." He whispered. The stark realization becoming more clear to him.

"He didn't get it all." Elsa told him as she created a tiny puff of snow form her hand. "Only about half, but he's coming back at any moment so that he can take the rest!"

The captain looked to the closed door for a moment and then back to Elsa. Getting here would be easy compared to what he had to do next.

"All the more reason we need to get you out of here and back to the Boreas as quickly as possible." Halvard handed Elsa the pistol as he un-sheathed his sword. "I will go up to the main deck and create a distraction. In the chaos, you can slip into a rowboat and head back to the Boreas."

It was a simple plan on the surface, but Elsa found one glaring flaw.

"That might get me away from here, but what about you?" She asked him, feeling awkward holding the gun in her hands. She had never held one before and did not relish the idea of firing it at anyone.

"Don't worry about me, Elsa. Getting you to safety is more important."

Elsa wouldn't have any of it. She handed the pistol back to Halvard, confident that she could still use her own magic to defend herself, even though it was not at full strength.

"We'll find a way to get back together." She told him, her opinion resolute and definitive.

"Alright then." He knew not to argue with Elsa when she had that look in her eyes. "We'll need to modify our escape plan, but I think we can still make it."

Elsa walked over and picked up the chest holding the ice stone. She threw it at the ground and it broke open, revealing the glowing blue object. She put it in her pocket and quickly followed Halvard out the door.

The captain's rescue plan would not go as he had intended, but he would still see it carried out successfully, or die trying.

* * *

Up on the quarterdeck of the Odin, Rasmus sat back in a chair, experimenting slightly with his new powers as he looked out at the lights of the Southern Isles shimmering on the surface of the water. He had gotten better at producing little balls of ice or snow in his palms. He was even able to blast a bit of frost at a barrel sitting on the deck near him, but he still lacked the discipline that Elsa had over the power.

Hans strode up to where Rasmus was sitting, a blank expression on his face.

"We should finish this." He told the king. "Take whatever else she has to give. Then dispose of her."

Rasmus felt he had waited long enough. He had recovered from the exhaustion that taking some of Elsa's power had given him. It was time to take the rest.

He stood up and slid a knife that was beside him into a sheath on his belt.

Rasmus looked at Hans to signal he was ready. "Let's go."

* * *

Halvard and Elsa were moving quietly and carefully through the corridors of the Odin. Currently they were on the level below the main deck, meaning they would have to ascend one more deck to have any hope of getting off the ship. If all went well, Halvard was still certain that they could sneak up, grab a row boat from the deck and make their escape. If Elsa still had access to her full powers, they could have simply run across the surface of the water as she froze it. Unfortunately, she was not certain if she would be able to freeze that much open water with her powers partially absent.

They were doing fairly well so far. They had not been spotted by a single guard or crewman since leaving the room where Elsa was held, meaning they did not have to incapacitate anyone else. Doing so may lead to an unconscious body being discovered which would be bad news for the two of them.

"So far so good." Whispered Halvard. "Just a bit farther. There's a ladder leading up to the deck at the end of the next passage."

"How do you know where you're going?" Elsa asked, impressed with how efficiently Halvard was guiding them to their escape.

"Like I said, I had to search all over the ship for you. In the process, I kind of drew a mental map of how to get out of here quietly." He replied.

Taking the lead with Elsa watching behind them, Halvard cautiously checked around every corner before both of them darted down the twisting corridors. They were one dash away from being at the base of the ladder when Halvard suddenly saw Rasmus, several guards, and Hans turn a corner and come into the hallway.

Quickly hiding behind the wall again as to not be seen by the approaching king and his entourage, he put his right arm out to prevent Elsa form continuing to walk forward as well.

His sudden movement startled her. "What is it?" She asked him in a very low whisper.

"Rasmus." The captain replied, matching Elsa's low volume. He figured they were beaten. Rasmus would walk down the corridor and discover them. They would have to fight their way out of the situation, and considering the odds were four to two against them, it looked bleak.

After breathlessly waiting for what seemed like an eternity, no one rounded the corner. Slowly poking his head out again to observe, Halvard saw the corridor empty again.

"They're gone." He uttered, both relieved and stunned. "They must have gone down an adjacent hallway."

He stepped completely out into the passage and motioned for Elsa to follow him. She followed as they both began to walk down the hall towards the ladder.

"Luck would seem to be on our side." Elsa commented. She was not a huge believer in 'luck', but given their situation, she prayed for every ounce of it to get them out of this.

* * *

As Elsa and Halvard were sneaking to their freedom, Rasmus was walking with Hans and two of his guards towards the room where he had left Elsa a few hours ago. It was time for him to take the rest of her powers. The incomplete magic he felt inside him now would be made whole in just a few minutes.

Arriving outside the room, the first thing he noticed was the lack of a guard. When he left, a guard had been posted outside the chamber. Now, there was no sign of him.

Hastening his pace, Rasmus burst through the door to find the guard lying on the floor, unconscious and unarmed. The restraints that had been holding Elsa to the wall were forced open and lay in pieces on the ground beside the broken shackles that were covering her hands. Over near the table on the side of the room, the small chest which had held the Ice Stone lay in pieces strewn across the deck.

Filled with fury, and a bit of disbelief, Rasmus took a few sharp steps forward towards the pieces of the little broken chest. Finding no sign of the stone, he turned to Hans and the guards with rage in his eyes.

"FIND HER!" He yelled. Not at any one of them in particular, but all three of them, hoping the entire crew would hear him. "NOW! And bring me back that stone!"

Hans and the guards nodded and made for the door, heading off to organize a search for the queen. Before they had all left, Rasmus, frustrated by his men's inability to keep an eye on one woman, took out his flintlock pistol and pointed it at the guard on the floor. Just beginning to wake up from being knocked out by Halvard a few minutes ago, the king fired, hitting the guard in the chest and killing him.

Rasmus had no time to deal with incompetence. He had convinced himself earlier that he would eliminate all who stood in the way of his goal. Even if they were his own.


	18. Chapter 18 - Escape

Chapter 18 - Escape

The sound of a gunshot caused Elsa and Halvard to jump as they walked silently towards the door that led to the main deck of the Odin. They were mere feet from it when voices yelling and heavy footsteps running over the ship caused them to freeze in terror.

"Well, our luck _was_ holding out." Said Halvard, trying to listen for the source of the voices all around them. "Until now that is..."

Before they had time to continue walking, the door they were heading towards was swung open by several guards who were now searching the ship deck by deck for the escaped prisoner. Spotting her and the captain down the corridor, they had found what they were looking for.

"There she is!" One of the men yelled. "Get her, and kill her accomplice!"

The guards raised their muskets and pointed them at Halvard. Fortunately, the captain's reflexes were nothing to be ashamed of. He quickly dove to the left, pushing himself and Elsa behind a corner and out of the line of fire just as the projectiles zoomed past them.

Regaining her balance form having been shoved so rapidly, Elsa looked to Halvard for advice as her heart continued to race.

"What do we do?" She asked. "We obviously can't get to the main deck now!"

"No, we can't." Halvard replied. He tried to come up with yet another alternative escape plan in his mind as quickly as possible. Picturing what he knew of the Odin's layout in his head, he thought of one possibility. It would be risky, but it might work just as well as the original plan.

"Follow me!" He told Elsa as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down the corridor. He knew the guards who had just shot at them would be right behind them any moment now.

"The room we met Rasmus in yesterday is a few feet down this hall." He told her as they both ran. "There was a longboat hanging off the back of the ship outside the window. That's our ticket out of here!"

It seemed like a risky plan to Elsa as well. Break into Rasmus' meeting chamber in order to escape? It felt like hiding in plain sight, which typically never worked. However, the intensity of the moment prevented her from seeing any alternative. Besides, she trusted Halvard's battle tactics much more than her own.

They had gotten only a few yards down the hall when the guards form before had rounded the corner behind them and began to attack once again. Two of them shot with their muskets as another two unsheathed their swords and prepared to run forward.

Dodging fire by hiding in an open door, Elsa stayed out of sight as Halvard returned fire with the musket he had been carrying. Hitting one of the approaching men in the shoulder and causing him to collapse to the ground, Halvard threw the spent musket to the ground and pulled out the pistol. He had practiced his marksmanship extensively back in Arendelle and was one of the most accurate shooters of all in the navy, so naturally, his second shot made contact with its target as well, impacting a second guard in the lower abdomen.

Two of the attacking men were down already and Elsa was beginning to feel a little more confident that they might actually be able to get away with this. But before she could enjoy the brief encouraging thought, another two men rounded the corridor behind them, swords drawn and ready to attack them.

Halvard was still focusing on the two remaining guards at the end of the hall in front of him who were now tossing their muskets aside and pulling out their swords to fight with weapons that didn't require reloading. While he was pulling the crossbow from its position strapped behind his back, he didn't notice that he was about to be flanked.

Fortunately, Elsa was quick to react. She focused whatever magic she could muster into a blast of ice towards the two men. A thin streak of ice-blue frost flung out of her hands and impacted the approaching guards in the legs. It was a very pathetic attack considering how much focus she had put into it, a testament to weaker power she now possessed. Despite this, the attackers' legs were frozen to the deck instantly and they both fell forward as the momentum of their run caused them to face-plant and sent their swords skidding across the floor.

Glancing over his shoulder for a split second to see another two incapacitated assailants, Halvard pulled the trigger of the crossbow and shot the bolt into the thigh of one of the men in front of him. Not having time to reload that weapon either, he threw it aside and began to pull his sword to fend off the final approaching guard. The distance between them was narrowing. He wasn't sure if there would be enough time for him to ready his weapon against the charging man.

To his relief, Elsa peeked herself around the doorframe and shot another blast of ice at the attacker. Hitting him in his right arm, the blast removed the sword from his grip and sent him tumbling to the ground. A second quick blast froze his left arm to the ground, encasing it in ice and preventing him from retaliating any further.

Looking towards Elsa, Halvard gave her a grin that showed gratitude and admiration.

"Glad to see you can still put up a bit of a fight." He told her, picking up the crossbow again and loading another bolt into it.

Elsa was in too much shock to respond. Although she had been in a few combat situations in her time, the most recent being their escape from the ice island a few days ago, she still was not accustomed to keeping her nerves in check while people were trying to kill her. Considering their situation, nobody without a military training could be expected to do so.

As additional angry shouts and sounds of charging footsteps neared them, they wasted no time continuing towards their destination. Rounding another corner in the maze of corridors that was the Odin, Halvard finally laid eyes on the large double doors that led to Rasmus' meeting room.

"There it is Elsa!" Halvard exclaimed. As he did, another guard burst into the corridor from an adjacent doorway. Halvard instinctively fired the crossbow at him, hitting the man square in the chest and causing him to collapse on the floor.

Their path now clear, the two of them darted down the hall towards the doors. Before they could reach them, what seemed like an entire contingent of soldiers crowded into the corridor, all taking aim at the two of them with their muskets.

Getting the hang of hiding behind whatever cover was available, Elsa stooped behind another doorframe on one side of the corridor as Halvard dove to the other side, avoiding the barrage of gunfire that imbedded itself in the wall at the end of the hall.

The angles at which they were being shot at allowed Halvard to try and open the right of the two doors to the chamber without being completely in the line of fire. Gripping the handle, he was disheartened, but not all that surprised, to find that it did not turn. Reaching for the other handle, he found the same thing. The doors were locked.

Elsa's current position was precarious. She was leaning her back against a doorframe while crouched near the ground, occasionally poking her head and a hand out to send a blast of ice towards the swarm of men at the end of the corridor who were attempting to shoot holes in the both of them. She had already encased one man's gun in a block of ice, rendering it useless, and frozen another's legs to the ground preventing him from advancing down the hall, but the sheer numbers she was facing proved difficult for her limited strength to handle.

Glancing over to Halvard, she had hoped that the door would have been open by now. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

"Captain? What's the problem!"

"The door appears to be locked!" He shouted back at her, raising his voice to shout over the steady stream of gunfire. He tried putting his whole weight into bashing the doors but they didn't budge. "And I can't break through it! I'm gonna have to find an alternative way to open it!" He looked around the frame of the door, searching for a weakness or something that he could use to pry the locks apart.

Still hiding behind the other doorframe and providing covering fire in the form of icy blasts, Elsa was beginning to become impatient.

"Well I don't mean to rush you captain, but getting that door open would be of great assistance right now!"

"I'm working on it!" He called back to her as he pulled out his sword again. Raising it above his head he began to smash the blunt end of the hilt against the doorknob.

Elsa looked to Halvard again as he laid repeated impacts of his sword against the brass knob. Before she became too distracted, she focused her attention towards their attackers again just as a pair of guards pulled open one of the other doors in the hallway that was across from her. As they raised their guns to fire, Elsa swiped her hand upwards, creating a series of sharp spikes of ice that completely blocked off the door that the men were standing behind.

Creating the barrier of icicles took far more of her focus than she had expected. As she began to fire more blasts of frost towards the initial group of soldiers, she heard the doorknob Halvard was bashing break from its position in the wood and fall to the ground with a clank.

The captain pushed open the now loose door and motioned for Elsa to quickly get inside. "Come on, Your Majesty!"

The brief relent in her icy retaliation allowed many of the attacking men to advance slightly down the corridor. Getting dangerously close to where Elsa was crouching, she realized she had to dash across the hall and into the room before she was surrounded.

Thinking quickly, she stomped her foot down on the deck with considerable force, causing a sheet of ice to form over the wooden planks and up the hallway towards the approaching men. Stunned and not prepared to be suddenly walking across a slick surface, many of them slipped and fell to the ground. It was the perfect opportunity for Elsa to bolt towards Halvard and the open door he was standing in. A few shots of gunfire flew past her, harmlessly imbedding themselves in the wooden bulkheads and leaving her unscathed as Halvard quickly slammed the door once they were both inside.

Realizing the guards could just follow them into the room, Elsa focused the remainder of her strength into one massive burst of cold air that encased the entirety of the double doors in a decently thick layer of ice, sealing them off from the growing contingent of men on the other side. Glancing at each other, Elsa and Halvard shared no words while they both tried to catch their breath. They only hoped that the doors would hold their attackers off while they continued with their escape.

The room was much like it had been during their initial meeting with Rasmus yesterday afternoon. The only difference was the lack of sunlight pouring into the room from the large back window, replaced instead by the soft glow of candles and oil lamps. The absence of Rasmus sitting at his desk was also different than yesterday. Elsa was particularly relieved about this.

Jogging over to the large glass panes of the windows, Halvard peered out to locate the longboat that he had noticed there earlier. Sure enough, there it was. Hanging on two ropes from davits on the deck above them and supporting the boat just below the outside of the windowsill.

"Right where I thought you were." Halvard whispered to himself. "Elsa! Over here!" He called to the queen.

She walked over to join him as he used the end of his sword to shatter the window he had been looking out. He continued to clear out pieces of jagged glass from the frame, creating a hole large enough for them to crawl out of without catching fabric or lacerating skin. Stepping out of the window and placing one foot inside the longboat while leaving one on the sill, Halvard held the boat steady for Elsa.

"Come on. We're almost out of here." He held out his hand and the queen took it, stepping carefully over the edge and into the boat.

As she did so, she could hear the bangs and knocks on the frozen door behind her. The guards were undoubtedly trying to break down the barrier she had created. Given that she was not completely confident in the thickness of the ice she had been able to generate to cover the door, she knew that they might be able to break through at any moment.

Once Elsa was safely in the boat, Halvard began to immediately untie the knots in the ropes securing the boat so that he could lower it down to the blackness of the water below them. All the while, the thumping against the doors to the meeting room was progressing. After untying the one knot at the rear end of the longboat, Halvard handed the rope to Elsa.

"Hold this tight so our back end doesn't fall before I undo the front end." He told her as he climbed towards the front of the little boat. "We'll need to lower both ropes simultaneously."

Gripping the rope tightly, Elsa looked up in the room again. The guards had made some progress and she could see the butt of a musket come breaking through the brittle wood and shatter the ice near the upper left hinge. Not much longer now till they could knock over the entire door.

Releasing the knot at the bow, Halvard moved towards the middle of the boat again and took the other rope from Elsa once more.

"Alright, here we go." He said nervously as he held his arms outstretched, one holding the rope connected to the bow, the other holding the one connected to the stern. Gently, he began to let the ropes slip through his hands, allowing them to snake through the pulleys at the ends of the longboat, starting their decent to the water.

They were almost low enough to be out of view of the room when the frozen doors were suddenly burst open as the perusing guards gave one final lunge. The shattered remains of Elsa's ice barrier spread across the floor of the meeting room as the men poured into the space. Ducking their heads down, Elsa and Halvard barely avoided another round of musket-fire that flew through the broken window.

"Captain, perhaps you could hasten your lowering of us?" Elsa asked him with panic in her voice. She knew that in a few seconds, the guards would be standing at the windowsill and be able to line up a shot with them once again. Dangling helplessly in the longboat, they would have nowhere to take cover.

Halvard knew this too, and just as he looked up, a guard appeared at the window and began to point his weapon down towards them.

"We're out of time!" Halvard yelled. Letting go of both ropes he had no choice but to have the longboat fall the remaining seven or eight feet to the surface of the water. He and Elsa both held on for dear life in the brief moment of freefall. Immediately following was a loud SPLASH as the boat made contact with the water, the force of the impact knocking the wind out of both of them for a second.

A few gunshots whizzed by them, impacting the sea and causing little bursts of water where they had hit. Halvard grabbed the ores on either side of the boat and started to furiously row away from the Odin. Despite the captain's strength, Elsa could see that they were not moving as rapidly as they would need to, so she pointed her palms in the opposite direction they were heading and began to blast cold gusts of air behind them. The extra force pushed them at considerable speed into the darkness of the night and away from the monstrous vessel they had just escaped from.

Powering herself purely on adrenaline, Elsa began to think that she and Halvard were becoming rather proficient at miraculous escapes. It wasn't a skill she had ever imagined gaining, but at the moment, she was grateful for every bit of it.


	19. Chapter 19 - Recovery

Chapter 19 - Recovery

Bursting past the shattered remains of his meeting room's door, Rasmus, accompanied by Hans and Dagmar, pushed through the mess of guards who were crowded around the window staring out at their escaped prisoners, making their way swiftly through the inlet and back towards the main channel. They were barely visible in the darkness and were now hopelessly out of range of musket-fire.

Rasmus violently shoved some of his men aside so that he could take in the sight for himself. The slowly diminishing image of his longboat taunting him as he watched it disappear.

He spun around to face the two brothers that were with him. "Make ready to follow them! NOW!"

Dagmar and Hans both nodded and quickly left the room, heading up to the deck to begin ordering the crew to get ready to depart. The crowd of guards who were in the room followed the two brothers, leaving Rasmus alone, leaning with both hands against the windowsill and staring out through the gap in the glass.

"Well played, Elsa..." He whispered to himself. "...well played."

* * *

Still sitting exactly where it had been anchored for the past day, the Boreas and all those aboard her waited patiently, as planned. By now, the sails had all been repaired. Re-attached to the masts and ready to be let loose at the opportune moment. Of course, that moment was not going to arrive until Queen Elsa and Captain Halvard were both safely back aboard. Especially if Anna had anything to say about it.

"This is taking longer than we planned..." Eugene commented. He, Rapunzel, Anna, and Kristoff were still up on the deck, looking out across the water with many of the other crew members, hoping to see any glimpse of the Odin or their missing companions.

"We're not leaving until they get back!" Anna replied loudly, not taking her gaze off the dark waters around them. "We'll wait forever if we have to!"

Eugene felt a little ashamed for causing the Princess to react in such a way. Obviously, he had no intentions of abandoning Elsa and Halvard either, nor did any of the crew. They would all wait as long as was necessary. And if need be, they would take more drastic action to go and get them back.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to suggest..."

"No, I'm sorry." Anna cut him off and turned to look towards him. "I know you weren't suggesting that we leave. I'm just... on edge."

Kristoff walked over and put a hand on Anna's shoulder. "We all are. It's understandable."

Everything that had transpired in the past few hours was just too much for Anna to deal with. Being in the southern Isles, getting stared at by that creep Rasmus, seeing Hans again, being..._ touched..._ by him, Elsa being kidnapped right in front of her. It was like one long and drawn out nightmare that kept getting worse, and worse, and worse. And the most terrifying part was that it was not a nightmare. It was real. If not for Kristoff's kindness and understanding during these events, she would most likely have lost her mind.

As if on cue to ease the palpable tension that hung over the deck of the ship, the stillness of the night was interrupted by the sight of an approaching object. Rapunzel was the first to notice it.

"Um, guys! I see something!" She called to those behind her while looking over the railing into the darkness.

Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, and several of the Boreas' crew ran over to see what she was pointing at. Getting closer by the second, it soon became clear that it was a rowboat. A rowboat occupied by two people. One with ores in each hand, paddling with incredible speed, and the other facing backwards, blasting icy air across their wake to propel them faster.

Anna knew the latter could only be one person.

"Elsa!" She shouted. Her sister was still too far to hear her, but seeing her again, _and alive,_ brought the shout forth anyway. "They're back! Get ready to bring them aboard!"

Crewmen scampered over to the starboard side of the Boreas. One of the men climbed down the ladder built into the hull and hung on with one hand, the other ready to receive the incoming queen and captain. Other members of the crew cranked up both anchors in preparation for what would need to be a hasty departure.

Within a few feet of the Boreas now, Elsa ceased her magic-assisted propulsion and allowed momentum and Halvard's rowing to carry them up to the ladder on the side of the Arendellian flagship.

"Thank you, Halvard." whispered Elsa to the captain as she stood up to prepare for the quick transfer onto the Boreas. With the longboat having barely stopped, she reached over and took the hand of the man on the ladder and then climbed up towards the deck. Halvard quickly joined her, abandoning the boat that had provided their escape and letting it drift off.

Reaching the deck, Elsa was immediately embraced by Anna. It was obvious that her sister had been worried sick about her, in much the same way Elsa had been worried about Anna after Rasmus had taken her powers.

"Elsa!" Anna hugged her like she didn't want to let go, but released slightly when Elsa reassured her.

"It's ok... I'm back now." She was relieved to be back and was exhausted from the harrowing escape from the Odin. With Anna and Kristoff helping her towards her cabin, she left the deck giving Halvard a nod of gratitude.

The captain was worn out as well, but he knew they were not out of danger yet. Wasting no time, he called to the crewman currently standing at the ship's wheel.

"Get us out of here! Best speed!" He yelled.

"Yes sir!" The man at the wheel yelled, gusto in his voice as he turned the Boreas toward the opening in the channel that led back to the open sea.

Crewmen who were already prepared to depart as soon as the queen and the captain were aboard sprang into action, letting the sails unfurl and catch the full force of the wind. Lamps on the deck were doused to better hide the Boreas' presence as the ship sailed swiftly out of the Southern Isles harbor and into the concealing cover of darkness. Halvard hoped their escape was so swift that they might just go unnoticed and make it back to open sea before they could be intercepted.

* * *

"This has gone far enough!"

Marcus's voice pierced the early morning light. The sun was not yet up, but the sky was starting to glow a deep blue instead of the blackness that had covered the rather eventful hours of the night. He was striding along the docks of the Southern Isles' main port with Rasmus. Stefan, Dagmar, and Hans all followed the two as they argued.

"I thought we had already discussed your apparent lack of patience, brother." Rasmus replied. He did not look to his side at Marcus as he said so. He simply kept walking towards to the ramp that led up to the Odin which was docked ahead of them.

"Well my patience is wearing thin!" Marcus shot back. He truly had lost his patience in this matter. He held his tongue for the last time during his previous meeting with Rasmus before the dinner with Elsa. This time, he would give him a piece of his mind.

"We supported you because you promised action. Action that was so unlike what Andor was complacent with." He continued. "But now, once again, you dely."

Rasmus didn't reply.

"You said you had a purpose for bringing Queen Elsa here, that capturing her was all part of your plan. Tell me, was letting her escape part of your plan as well?" Marcus' tone was now bordering on hostile and was most definitely disrespectful, but he didn't care. "You realize they will be heading back to their own waters where they will most likely rally Arendelle's entire navy in response to our actions. We may have to prepare for a retaliatory strike."

The group of five brothers were now standing at the base of the gangplank that led up to the Odin. Crewmen and soldiers were bustling about the dock, trying to ignore the heated discussion going on near them.

Rasmus finally had enough of Marcus' drabble and turned sharply to face him. However, he responded in an uncharacteristically calm demeanor. Controlling his rage was something he had to do a lot recently. Maintaining allies was a crucial part of his plan after all.

"The Boreas is hopelessly outmatched. They won't even make it back to their own waters." Rasmus looked directly into Marcus' eyes. "And within the week, Arendelle will be in no condition to launch an attack against us ever again."

A tense beat as Rasmus continued to stare at Marcus.

"Does that satisfy you?"

"For the moment." Replied Marcus.

"Excellent. Now be a good prince and mind the kingdom while I am gone." Rasmus ordered him, purposefully using a tone meant to belittle Marcus.

He turned to start walking up the gangplank and board the Odin. A few steps up, he stopped and faced the dock again.

"Oh, and Marcus." He called to his brother, who was still standing where he had been. "When I get back, we will have a little chat about you showing the proper respect that is due to your king."

Rasmus continued to walk aboard his flagship and left Marcus with those final threatening words. The open-endedness and chilling composure of the subtle threat was more frightening than any rage infused shout could ever have been. Marcus found himself, once again, silenced by the commands of his older brother.

Hans and Dagmar had also walked up the ramp taking their usual places by Rasmus' side. They would be joining him on this voyage, while Marcus and Stefan stayed behind. The men around them continued to haul supplies up to the Odin; ammunition, food, personal weapons. They were all in a hurry to meet with the King's demand for a hasty departure.

Before Marcus and Stefan were able to get off the dock again, the resupply was finished and the gangplank was removed to allow the Odin to depart. No longer able to hold his own thoughts inside, Stefan got Marcus' attention by putting a hand on his arm, stopping both of them in their walk back to the council chambers.

"Marcus, wait." Stefan began, now having his brother's full attention. "Are we really prepared to have our hands drenched in blood?"

The harshness of the words left Marcus stunned. He didn't completely know what Stefan was talking about, but the grave tone made him focus.

"He's not just planning to conquer Arendelle. He's planning its complete annihilation. And his ruthless, bloodthirsty actions will mark the Southern Isles as an outcast in the eyes of Europe, for generations."

Marcus's gaze slowly trailed off of Stefan and towards the Odin which was now free from the dock and making its way to the open sea. It was as if the gravity of the situation was only settling in now. Sure, it would be great if the Southern Isles could expand by taking more territory, but at what cost? Is expansion really Rasmus' main focus here? Or will he not stop till every man, woman, and child in Arendelle lays dead at his feet to satisfy some vendetta? He thought of the king's intentions and the implications of the rest of the world considering their kingdom an outcast for taking such violent actions.

"Is that really what we want for ourselves?" Concluded Stefan. It was worded like a genuine query, but it's underlying nature, asa rhetorical question, was obvious.

This could not be allowed to continue. The destruction of Arendelle, might mean the destruction of the Southern Isles as well.

* * *

**A/N:** Things are continuing to heat up. Not much longer now till things get serious.

As always, reviews are appreciated!


	20. Chapter 20 - The Retreat to Arendelle

Chapter 20 - The Retreat to Arendelle

The Boreas was heading back to Arendelle as fast as its sails could carry it. They were still uncomfortably close to the Southern Isles' territory, but they were getting closer to home with every passing minute. Much to her chagrin, Elsa was currently lying in the infirmary with Doctor Josef hovering around her like a buzzard. She didn't dislike the man, but when he had a patient in his care, _he_ became the ruler of the room. Even if his patient was the queen herself.

"Are we about done here doctor? I am very tired." Elsa had both annoyance and exhaustion in her voice, putting emphasis on the exhaustion in hopes that Josef would finish his examination quickly and let her go lie down in a more comfortable place, such as her cabin.

"Not quite." He replied. "I'm concerned with what you've told me. If Rasmus was able to drain your _magical_ powers through that stone, then it might have also drained your _physical_ strength as well. I need to make sure of that. Your health could be in jeopardy if your body is severely weakened."

Anna and Kristoff were both in the room with Elsa as well. The current situation was almost a mirror of what happened four days ago when Anna had been examined by Josef. This time, it was Anna who was worried sick about Elsa's loss of magic as opposed to Elsa worrying about Anna's brief acquisition of magic. They would surely have found it laughable if it were not so serious.

"I told you doctor," Elsa replied, swinging her legs to the side of the table and sitting up. "My magic was the only thing drained by the Ice Stone. My current _physical_ state is only due to the experience of being kidnapped, and a severe lack of sleep."

Yanking off his spectacles and tossing papers onto the desk beside him, Josef nearly had a fit when he saw Elsa start to get up.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?"

Ignoring being called a 'young lady' by one of her subjects, Elsa stood up and faced the doctor.

"I am going to get some sleep. I promise you, doctor, I will be fine once I get some rest."

"But, I haven't..."

Joseph was cut off by Anna who had run up to help Elsa towards the door.

"Don't worry doc. I'll make sure she's ok." She told him, supporting Elsa's arm even though she probably didn't need it. "She won't leave my sight!"

"But... ugh..." He didn't know what else to say. Outnumbered and at least partially satisfied with Elsa's observations, he relented. "Very well. But be sure to come see me as soon as you get up!" He shouted back to them.

Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff were already half way out the door. Anna replied to the doctor's final instructions.

"Yeah, yeah... that will happen." She said dismissively as the door closed shut behind them. She had no intention of forcing Elsa to come back here after her sleep.

The three of them walked down the corridors towards their cabins. Anna let go of Elsa's arm so that she could walk on her own. She knew her sister didn't like to be assisted with ordinary tasks, even if she was feeling tired or sick, so Anna fought the urge, and let the queen maintain as much dignity as she could.

"Thank you." Elsa told her. "For everything. You too Kristoff."

"Don't mention it. Actually it was mostly Halvard's idea to go out and retrieve you as opposed to sitting and waiting in that harbour." Kristoff answered. "We're all just relieved that you're back."

"That's an understatement!" Anna exclaimed. "Elsa, I was worried sick! I had no idea if you were okay or if I would ever see you again... none of us did." She looked down at her hands as she walked. The horrible things that could have happened to Elsa traced through her mind again, giving her a completely miserable feeling. It took only a moment to remember that something horrible _did _ happen to her sister. She did not suffer physical harm, but the theft of some of her powers was still a terribly invasive act. Honestly, Anna couldn't hope to fully understand how Elsa must have been feeling about it right now.

"... and I guess, you aren't completely okay." The redhead concluded. Her face hung low and her voice was barely audible over the creaks of the ship.

Elsa stopped walking and turned to put both hands on Anna's shoulders. It was obvious that she was talking about Rasmus' theft of her powers and that the thought of it disturbed her deeply. She could never stand to see her sister so sad. In her mind it always seemed like her job, as older sister, to make Anna happy when she felt down. Even if Elsa herself was also someone who needed cheering up at the time.

"Anna, I'm okay. Despite what happened, I'm okay." She tried to be as comforting as she could at the moment, hoping to re-kindle that happiness that was always within Anna. "We'll get through this, one way or another." She gave a sarcastic chuckle. "Besides, it's not like I really _need_ those powers to survive."

Anna looked up at her with sad eyes. "But they're part of you! It's almost worse than physical harm because it's like he took a part of who you _are_. It's awful."

Elsa pulled Anna in for a hug now. The truth was, she had been thinking the same things that Anna had said. It was like part of her had been pulled out, _torn out_, and although she could go on living without that part of her, she would always miss it.

Kristoff was standing awkwardly beside the two of them during their conversation. He wanted to support both of them, but eventually he figured that it would be best to leave them to comfort each other for the time being.

"Look, I'm going to go ahead to our cabin to get some rest." He told Anna. Then he regarded both of them. "I'll leave you two alone, but if _either_ of you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me, alright?"

Anna nodded into Elsa's shoulder as she gave Kristoff an appreciative glance. Elsa replied verbally.

"Thank you again Kristoff. Good night."

"Good night." he responded, even though technically it was already morning.

After he had walked off, the two sisters stood in each other's silent embrace for a few moments before Elsa felt the need to speak up again. Pulling out of the hug, she looked her in the eyes.

"Anna, enough about me... how are _you_ doing?"

Anna was a bit surprised by Elsa's question. "Me? Like I said, I was really worried about you."

Elsa couldn't help but smile slightly at the response. _Leave it to Anna to consider the feelings of everyone else before her own._ She thought to herself.

"That's not what I mean, Anna. I mean; how are _you_ doing since, well... Hans..." She couldn't finish the sentence. The thought was too painful and Elsa figured that it would be even more so for Anna.

"Oh... that..." Anna replied. "It's alright. I'm okay. Nothing actually... _happened_ anyway, so I'm gonna be fine."

She didn't sound nearly as convincing as she had hoped. Elsa had been kidnapped almost immediately after the traumatic experience with Hans, therefore she did not have much time to think about it. That was a bit of a mixed blessing. It distracted her from the memory, but in reality it just forced the feelings down inside her. Elsa saw this all clearly playing out on Anna's face.

"Anna. You can't just ignore what happened. I realize that it seems easy to just sink into denial and tell yourself it was no big deal, but the truth is, that catches up to you."

Anna looked back at Elsa, considering every word she said.

"You'll never be able to really let it go until you come to terms with it. And one of the best ways to do that is to talk to someone about it." Elsa let go of Anna's shoulders and grabbed both of her hands, still keeping eye contact with her younger sister. "And weather you want to talk to Kristoff, or me, or both of us... I'll always be there for you."

Anna let the words sink in. What Elsa said was right, she had just been in denial about the ordeal, claiming it was behind her. She didn't even realize how much it shook her to the core until Elsa brought it up just now.

"Thank you Elsa. And you're right... just give me a little time okay?"

"Whenever you're ready." Elsa replied.

The two of them continued to walk towards their cabins, hand-in-hand. They had been through a lot in the past few days, and they hoped that a nice long sleep would put that all behind them. In reality though, they both knew that the most dangerous part of this journey was yet to come.

* * *

_April 12, 1794_

The next day, Elsa and Halvard had called a meeting to properly bring everyone up to speed on the current situation. Elsa had already told Anna and Doctor Josef a little bit about what happened, but this meeting went into all of the grim details. Rasmus' plan, the theft of Elsa's powers, the capabilities of Rasmus' ship.

Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, and Rapunzel were all sitting at the table while Halvard was leaning over it. He was looking at a sketch of the Odin he had made while they were anchored next to the ship back in the Southern Isles. He added more details to the schematic after him and Elsa's return.

"It's called a Bomb-Ship." He started. The room was quiet and everyone listened intently. "When cranked up to the deck, the mortars can be swiveled to face any direction. Their massive range means they can be used to bombard any target on shore without the Odin having to risk itself by getting too close to land."

All present stayed quiet. Halvard walked slowly from his position leaning on the table, back towards his seat.

"The exploding shells fired by the mortars make it very effective at taking down the thick walls of a castle, or leveling the houses of an entire village." Halvard sat back down. His words hung in everyone's minds like a menacing fog that couldn't be parted.

Elsa spoke up now, breaking the silence and making the grave situation even more frightening.

"Rasmus would only have built such a ship for one purpose." She said, leaning forward in her seat. "He's going after Arendelle."

Anna and Kristoff glanced quickly at each other. It was bad enough to know this monster of a ship was roaming around with the ability to level a kingdom, but knowing that its first target might be Arendelle, _their home_, made the fear truly set in.

"How can you be sure?" Rapunzel asked Elsa. Arendelle had practically become her second home. Her and Eugene made frequent visits and would be just as devastated to see it destroyed as anyone who actually lived there.

"It's the next logical step." Elsa continued. "He hates Arendelle. He blames me for he and Hans' failure to take us over nine months ago. Destroying our kingdom is his first step towards bringing the Southern Isles to what he considers 'greatness'. He wants retribution."

Halvard finished Elsa's thoughts as he surmised the remainder of Rasmus' plans. "He destroys Arendelle, then moves on to either conquering or obliterating other kingdoms he sees as a threat. Weselton, Kristiansand..." He turned to look at Rapunzel and Eugene before finishing. "...Corona. No one is safe."

Fear for his homeland prominent in his mind, Eugene spoke up.

"But the other powers of Europe won't put up with that for long." He said. "Word will spread of what Rasmus is doing and the larger powers will retaliate. For fear of their own kingdoms if they should let the Southern Isles' spread."

"That's where my powers come in." Elsa replied. She had thought about this, long and hard. Coming up with scenarios in her mind, trying to guess Rasmus' overall plot. His desperate need to transfer her powers into himself were not just to remove her as a threat. They were an integral part of his plan.

"Once he has access to all of my magic, he will use that, and that alone, as intimidation. _Fear_ will keep other nations from mounting a counterattack. And even if they do, all he has to do is take a position in the front lines and he can wipe out anyone who stands against him." She paused for a moment and stared at her hands. "I, unfortunately, am quite aware of the destruction my powers can bring."

Without even intending to hurt anyone, Elsa had caused severe damage to Arendelle during the events of her coronation. If someone with the same capabilities were to deliberately use that power to harm others... there would be almost no stopping it.

Another few seconds of silence passed while everyone considered their current situation. To say it was bleak was an understatement. Kristoff was the first to speak again.

"We do have one advantage though." He began. Everyone turned to look at him as he continued. His focus was on Elsa. "He wants _all_ of your power, but he only has half right now. He might come after you first, before going to Arendelle."

Elsa gave Kristoff a little cheeky smile. It was unexpected given the dark tension present in the room, but seeing it burgeoned a small trickle of hope in him.

"I'm counting on it. He's too prideful to let me interrupt his perfect plan." Elsa faced the center of the table to explain now what their next course of action would be. It had required a great deal of planning between her and Halvard, and it had a marginal chance of success, but it was the best current option.

"We're heading back to Arendelle at full speed. Once we arrive in the outer part of the fjord, Anna, Kristoff, Eugene, Rapunzel and I will take a rowboat to shore and muster the rest of the fleet. They will all head out of the port and join the Boreas in a defensive position to protect the kingdom."

"Strength in numbers. Do you think it will be enough to stop the Odin?" Asked Eugene.

"We can only hope it will be." Elsa replied.

"And if the Odin catches up to us before we get back to Arendelle?" Said Kristoff. "We have to assume they're following us right now. They might be faster than us."

"Then we will still fight them. Wherever that might be." Answered Halvard. He was not hesitant at all, putting on a face of determination.

Elsa stood up to address everyone in a serious tone. She wanted what she was about to say to be perfectly clear. No miscommunication.

"Rasmus must not be allowed to reach Arendelle. All other concerns are secondary." She glanced around the table, pausing briefly at everyone as they stared back at her. "I think you understand me."

The implications did not require clarification. In order to protect Arendelle, to protect the hundreds of innocent lives there, the Boreas, and the very lives of all onboard, were all expendable. They were to stop the Odin. Even if the attempt meant certain death.

Halvard looked across the table. He saw fear in everyone's eyes, but he also saw determination. They all understood the situation, and would follow the queen's orders without hesitation.

Looking up to Elsa, he responded for everyone. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Elsa gave Halvard a nod. He then stood up and walked to the door of the meeting room, opening it to face the crewmen who were standing guard at the door. He spoke to them with a commanding voice, one so strong and resolute that if words alone could sink an enemy vessel, the Odin would stand no chance.

"Inform the entire crew." He began. "All hands, prepare for battle!"


	21. Chapter 21 - The Deep Breath

Chapter 21 - The Deep Breath

Word of the captain's orders spread quickly through the ship. In no time at all, every crewman aboard the Boreas was swiftly carrying out their assigned tasks. Some men began to lift open the closed cannon ports on the sides of the ship. All fifty-two of the ships cannons, which were spread across the main deck and the gun deck, were wheeled into position, poking out of the ports and sticking slightly over the edge of the ship's railings. Other members of the crew began to disperse muskets and swords to all onboard. Even Elsa, Anna, and Rapunzel were given swords, an order from the captain who demanded they have at least some protection of their own.

Halvard walked the decks of the ship, observing his crew efficiently prepare for the upcoming battle. The crew of the Boreas was the best in Arendelle. They all had at least some combat experience, so he was confident in the ability of all of his men. He had been in a number of battles himself, so the preparations required had become almost second nature to him by this point. He had made it a bit of a tradition to tour his ship before going into a battle. This was the first time he'd be commanding the Boreas in a fight, and it was the largest vessel he had ever captained during a battle, but he was certain it would serve him well and perform admirably.

As he walked the lower decks, crewman rushed by him, giving respectful nods as they passed to continue with their duties. Supplies were being secured so they would not roll around the ship during the manoeuvres of combat, cannon balls were being distributed to the firing teams at each cannon so that they would be easily accessible, and guards were taking up positions around the ship, ready to repel any intruders that might come aboard.

Despite the pride he felt in his crew and his ship, Halvard felt uneasy. The hours and minutes before a battle never made him nervous. Losing control of one's nerves meant losing control of the situation, and in a battle, that could be deadly. No, the reason for his concern was the fact that he did not know exactly _where_ or _when_ the battle would take place. The Odin was undoubtedly following them as this very moment, that much was obvious. What was unknown was the speed of the Odin. If the Boreas was faster, than they would reach Arendelle first and the battle would be taking place in the outskirts of the fjord along with the rest of the fleet. The odds would be in their favor. However, if the Odin was faster, than they might find themselves having to engage Rasmus out on the open water and all by themselves. The second possibility was not a pleasant one.

The words Elsa had used several days ago when they were first heading out towards the Southern Isles popped up in his mind again.

_'Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.'_

Halvard was certainly hoping for the best. But the line between hope and fear was a narrow one, and recently, the latter tended to dominate his thoughts.

* * *

Rasmus sat in his meeting room at the rear of the Odin. The window had been repaired from when Elsa and Halvard escaped through it the day before. He leaned hard against one of the arm rests of the chair, rubbing his temples with one hand hand. His other hand fiddled with a small chest that was sitting on his desk. It was identical to the chest that he had kept the Ice Stone in before Elsa smashed it and took it back with her, except this chest held something different. Different, yet the same. It too was a curtail part of his plan.

Things had not been going according to that plan, he couldn't deny that. By now he had hoped to have all of Elsa's powers for himself, unfortunately all he had was a part of them, and he was struggling in his attempts to use it. He had been able to create small piles of snow, blast tiny gusts of wind and ice out of his hands, but more complex wielding of the magic still eluded him. Rasmus had just as much magic in him now than Elsa did, yet she still seemed to be able to use it more easily than he did. It was all he could think about, and it infuriated him. He wanted the rest of her powers so that he could use them to their full extent, and he wanted them now!

Interrupting his brooding, Hans came in the room and walked up to Rasmus. The doors to the room were still missing, so he walked up to the king without having anything to knock on to announce his presence.

"Your Majesty," Hans began with a slight bow. "We're now in position."

Rasmus slowly looked up at him. Hans could tell he was not in a very pleasant mood.

"Good." He replied. He lowered his head back into his hand as if ignoring Hans' continued presence.

When he felt it obvious that Rasmus was not going to speak any further, Hans decided to voice his opinions again.

"When we engage them, we should capture her as quickly as possible so that you can take the rest of it. We need to reach Arendelle without further delay."

Rasmus stood up sharply, slamming his hands against the char he was sitting in. He didn't need Hans reminding him of what he already had planned. He intended to re-capture Elsa, but having Hans badger him about it every few hours was becoming annoying.

To Hans' surprise though, instead of being yelled at, Rasmus calmly changed the subject.

"How long until they reach the fog?" The king asked as he walked around his chair and went over to look out the window.

"Based on the speed in which they left our waters yesterday... less than an hour." Hans replied. He watched Rasmus stare out the window into the featureless expanse of low-lying clouds that currently surrounded the Odin. The visibility was incredibly poor and it was impossible to see the far off horizon, or even the waves of the sea more than a few hundred feet from the ship.

Rasmus didn't reply. He just continued to look past the glass while Hans turned to leave. _At last_, he thought to himself, _the culmination of the plan is at hand._

* * *

Elsa sat up at the bow of the Boreas, enjoying the freshness of the spring air as the ship cut through the waters. The small bench up near the foremast had quickly become one of her favourite spots on the ship. From here, she could block out all of the action that went on behind her and focus solely on the open sea ahead of her. Ordinarily, the tranquility of the view before her would be relaxing and ease her tensions. But with the threat of a battle upcoming, she was anything but calm.

Breaking her from the depressing thoughts, Anna gingerly walked up to Elsa from the side of the ship.

"Hey." The redhead began, voice timid and compassionate.

"Hey." The queen responded with a small voice as well, reflecting Anna's tone. "How are you holding up?"

Anna chuckled slightly at the question. She was having difficulty processing all of the things that had been happening to them recently.

"Well, all things considered, alright I suppose." She slowly brought up the small sword she had been holding in her right hand ever since Halvard ordered everyone onboard be armed. She had almost no experience with such a weapon and she looked awkward even handling it. "I've never exactly been in a ship battle before. So... there's that."

"Neither have I." Elsa replied, hoping Anna wouldn't feel that she was completely alone in her inexperience. "But Halvard and the entire crew of the Boreas have been in many conflicts. They know what they're doing."

She slid over to the right of the bench and patted its surface, signaling her sister to sit beside her. Anna obliged and came to rest on the bench, leaning into Elsa's side.

"How are the others?" Asked the blonde.

"Eugene and Rapunzel are practicing swinging around their frying pans. Kristoff is in our cabin, relaxing after some sword training with Halvard. Oh! By the way, thanks for making that sheet of ice to cover the hole in the window in our room. It works perfectly and looks a lot nicer than some boards put up there instead."

"You're welcome." Elsa replied. She had fixed the hole Hans broke in the window to Anna and Kristoff's cabin by using her magic to create a thin sheet of ice. It was translucent and looked just as good as any real glass window while also sealing the room back up from the outside air.

Elsa and Anna sat quietly together for several minutes. Eventually, Halvard walked up to them.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness." He greeted.

"Captain." Elsa replied. "How much longer do you think until we reach Arendelle?" She was hopeful that the journey would be considerably faster than the amount of time it took them to get down here in the first place.

Calculating an estimate in his head, Halvard replied. "Based on our current speed, we should be back in the fjord in about thirty-six hours."

"Ugh... Still so far away." Grumbled Anna. "Can't we go any faster?"

Halvard chuckled. "The Boreas is the fastest ship in Arendelle, Your Highness. And besides, we can't go any faster than what the wind chooses to carry us."

Anna didn't complain any further. She knew travelling these great distances took time. Halvard's words that the Boreas was '_the fastest ship in Arendelle_' provided her some comfort at least. Perhaps they really could out run that crazy King and his gigantic death ship.

Halvard noticed Elsa did not relax at his words the way Anna had. She was still very troubled. It was understandable, but it was still his job to try and cheer her up.

"We will get through this, Your Majesty. I promise." He told her.

Elsa shook her head ever so slightly as she lifted her chin to look up at Halvard. "That's what I keep telling myself."

"You should believe yourself." The captain replied.

"I know. But it's difficult to focus on that when there is so much at stake should Rasmus manage to carry out his plan..." Elsa looked down again, focusing on the grains in the wood planks of the deck as she hesitated for a moment then continued. "...should he manage to take the rest of my powers."

"We're not going to let that happen. He's not getting any more of it." Anna responded to Elsa this time, squeezing her sister slightly as she confidently and sternly looked her sister in the eye.

"That's another problem though." Said the queen, looking dejectedly at Anna. "Even if he doesn't, he still already has half."

"Meaning his abilities are limited to that half..."

Elsa cut off Halvard before he could finish. "Don't underestimate those abilities, Captain." She told him, looking up at the man again. "I was able to still extensively use my powers during our escape aboard the Odin. I was still more than capable of causing terrible destruction even with only half of that power. Once Rasmus learns to control what he has, he will use that magic to cause great harm. He will become an unstoppable force."

Anna didn't know how to respond to that. The thought of Rasmus laying waste to miles upon miles of land with icy fury sent a wave of fear down her spine. She just kept quiet and held Elsa tighter.

Halvard on the other hand, walked over to stand in front of the two girls. He knelt down to be closer to eye level with them and put a warm but determined smile on his face.

"And that's why we're going to stop him."

Both sisters looked into his eyes. In them, they saw the confidence and trust that they had always known in Halvard. Being the closest thing they each had to a father figure, his comforting words could always make them feel safe. No matter what the situation.

All of a sudden, the wind died down a bit and the temperature seemed to drop by a noticeable amount. The crisp shadows cast by the sun also disappeared, replaced instead by a diffuse light that indicated the sun had gone behind a cloud.

Halvard raised to a standing position again and turned to look out over the bow of the ship. Elsa and Anna joined him as they stood together to look at the massive wall of fog that they were beginning to enter.

"Fog?" Anna questioned. "Where did this come from?"

The fog stretched like a blanket from as far as the eye could see on the Boreas' starboard side, all the way to the distant peaks of land that were barely in view on their port. Halvard didn't seem overly worried as he glanced out at the dense veil that the Boreas was starting to enter.

"Ah yes, the Ålborg fog." He told them. "When warm air rolling off the land over to the west comes above the cool water of the sea, this fog tends to coalesce."

They both looked over to the land where Halvard was pointing.

"Something about the wind patterns and the shape of the shoreline over there causes this to happen frequently in this area. We'll be through it in a few minutes." He turned back around to look at the girls again. A hint of the warm smile still on his face.

But fear was slowly swelling up in Elsa again. She needed clarification to try and calm her nerves.

"So this fog is always here? At this location?" She asked Halvard.

"It's fairly common at this time of year..." He cut himself off as the realization of Elsa's fears donned on him. It was as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold water on him. He could feel the waves of fear moving along his nerves, starting at the back of his neck, and travelling all the way to the tips of his hands and feet. His eyes darted left and right quickly and then focused again on Elsa as his mouth began to slowly open in shock. The queen returned his glance with panic in her eyes.

Instinct kicked in, and Halvard called over towards the crewman who was currently manning the Boreas' wheel.

"Bring us about!" He yelled. "Take us back out of the fog!"

Before any of the crew could react to his sudden shout of orders, a muffled bang came from somewhere in the fog followed immediately by the sound of splintering wood as the Boreas shook from an impact.

Even though she had never been in a battle at sea before, Elsa knew what it was right away. A cannonball. They were under attack. No ship other than the Odin knew where they were headed, so it must have been them.

Her worst fears had come true. They would have to engage in battle here, out by themselves, still a day and a half from Arendelle.

* * *

**A/N: **We come to it at last! The battle!

The next bunch of chapters will be filled with a lot of action, so don't be surprised if they are a bit more intense, and possibly more violent, than some of the discussion and character building chapters. Don't worry though, everything's still rated "T". I didn't really feel like making this an excessively graphic story. It wasn't necessary.

And don't forget to review! Seeing new reviews for each chapter encourages me to keep writing!


	22. Chapter 22 - The Battle Begins

Chapter 22 - The Battle Begins

The Odin floated gracefully inside the protective cover of the fog it was hiding in. Having initiated combat with the Boreas by firing upon it mere seconds ago, the warship would finally be able to carry out what it was designed to do; fight.

Dagmar was at the ship's wheel slowly bringing it around to face towards where the Boreas was lying within the fog. Rasmus stood behind him up on the quarterdeck with Hans. In his hands he held the item that had been in his chest on his desk. A fairly large and almost completely transparent object resembling a finely cut diamond. Rasmus held the object, a Gale Stone, up to his right eye and peered through it out across the foggy sea. While the Ice Stone he had used on Elsa could release ice and snow and transfer powers from one person to another, the Gale Stone had the unique ability to make the air being looked through, despite the weather, seem completely clear. If it was raining, a blizzard, or a dense fog, the viewer looking through the stone would see through it as if there were no obstructions. This gave Rasmus a crystal clear view of the helpless Boreas sitting ahead of them.

Passing the Gale Stone to Hans so that he could direct the gunnery crews, Rasmus gave his next orders.

"Target their masts and cannons only. I don't want the Boreas destroyed."

Dagmar turned the ship's wheel to the right as Hans descended the steps down to the main deck, shouting orders and spotting the Boreas with the stone.

One of the Odin's bow chaser cannons fired, hurtling a thirty-two pound ball of iron forward toward the Boreas at hundreds of miles per hour. Almost immediately, Rasmus could hear the sound of wood shattering and he knew the projectile had hit its target. With a slight smile curling at the corner of his lips, he quietly taunted his opponent.

"Can you learn to fight while blind, Elsa?"

* * *

Back on the Boreas, chaos was erupting on the deck. Halvard, Elsa, and Anna dashed quickly towards the stern of the vessel in order to reach the ship's wheel. As they stumbled from the impact of the second hit they had just received, a third muffled explosion signaled another incoming cannonball.

Whizzing over their heads, the projectile struck directly into the center of the main mast. The wood of the mast seemed to explode, sending splinters flying all over the deck and causing everyone to shield their faces from the debris. With its support destroyed, the entire mast toppled to its side and came crashing down on the Boreas' starboard railing, splashing into the water along with all the sails attached to it.

Reaching the top of the quarterdeck through all of the mayhem, Halvard wanted an immediate report.

"Status!" He shouted so that he could be heard over the shouts of the men bustling about the deck below them.

One of the higher ranking crewmen near him provided a summary to the captain.

"They're firing at us from within the fog, we can't get a visual to fire back!" He yelled.

The man who was holding the wheel answered next. "He took out the main mast with his opening volley, we only have half-speed, sir!"

The men on the deck were pushing the remains of the main mast off the side of the boat and completely into the water so that it would not be a hindrance to the Boreas' maneuvers. As the ship shuddered from another cannon impact, Kristoff, Eugene, and Rapunzel burst out onto the deck to observe the horror that was taking place. They all immediately ran up to join the others near the wheel.

"We're under attack? The Odin?" Rapunzel asked, reaching the top of the stairs near Elsa.

"Yes." The queen replied, still shaking from the intensity of it all.

Halvard had never been in a battle quite like this before. Fighting against an enemy that he couldn't even see would prove to be difficult. He had engaged in combat in the dark before when it was difficult to spot the target, but even then, it was easier than the current predicament.

_How could I have been so stupid!_ He thought to himself. _To blindly wander into this fog and be caught off guard. I should have seen it coming!_

But the truth was, Halvard had no way of knowing the Odin was not only fast enough to catch up to them, but to overtake them and lay a trap in their path. Regardless, he put regrets behind him and focused on what mattered at the moment; survival. Taking the wheel from the other crewman, he began to shout orders to his men.

"Gunnery crews!" He yelled. "Start determining the position of the target based on sound as opposed to sight! Search the fog for the sound of enemy fire and trace back along the direction of incoming projectiles!"

"Aye, sir!" Several men on the deck acknowledged the order simultaneously. The men manning each cannon kept an attentive ear out for the sound of the Odin firing, ready to aim back in that direction and retaliate.

Two more explosions, closer to the Boreas this time, were heard by all aboard. One cannonball flew harmlessly past the ship, while the other impacted near the bow.

"Sir!" One of the men called to Halvard. "Forty-five degrees off the port aft!"

Without hesitation, Halvard gave the order.

"FIRE!"

Every cannon that could angle to that direction on the Boreas' port side turned to fire at the invisible assailant. Five... six... seven shots went off in an uneven precession, the explosions reverberating through the wooden planks of the ship and causing everyone to feel the thuds in their diaphragms.

Anna held her hands up to cover her hears after the first shot. The smell of spent gunpowder wafting through her nose as she cringed next to Kristoff, hoping he would somehow provide protection against the horrors of the battle they were in.

Although she didn't show it, he was just as frightened as her.

* * *

Rasmus stood confidently on the deck of his ship as it swung around the back of the Boreas, continuing to fire the occasional cannon at the target. He could have been peppering them with cannon fire if he so desired, but he wanted Elsa _alive_ after all.

Seven shots from the Boreas flew towards where the Odin was sailing. Many of them missed completely, while a few impacted relatively close to the ship in the sea, creating pillars of water where they had landed. It was clear that the Boreas was firing blind, just hoping they might hit the Odin in the process.

"You're too slow, Your Majesty." Rasmus taunted again, wishing that somehow Elsa would have been able to see his face as he relentlessly pounded her new flagship.

"Bring us past their starboard side." Rasmus commanded Dagmar, who was still piloting the Odin. He then yelled to the men below him. "Ready port cannons!"

Hans, still holding the Gale Stone, pointed towards the direction of the Boreas as the men loading the cannons aimed in the direction of his arm. As he dropped it with force, they began firing again, staggering their shots so that they could hear each impact, knowing if they needed to re-adjust their aim for the next volleys.

* * *

Another series of far off cannon shots flew in the direction of the Boreas. Several made direct impacts with the hull. A lucky shot hit one of the cannons, the force of the blow sending it toppling backwards onto the deck, severely wounding the two men who had been manning it. Other shots landed in the water near the Boreas or had flown over the ship entirely, but most of the incoming fire was hitting its mark. A stark contrast to what the Boreas was able to land on the Odin.

The entire ship was shaking violently under the ruthless attack. The royal families up on the deck with Halvard were holding onto anything they could get their hands on for dear life. The captain considered making them go down below deck to be out of the chaos, but in reality, they were no more safe down there than up near him. At least this way, they wouldn't become trapped in some room if the ship started to sink.

"They're immediately off starboard sir!" A man yelled to Halvard, barely audible above the continuous explosions all around them.

"I'm putting her hard to port!" The captain called back. He turned the wheel as far over to the left as he could. "Fire all starboard cannons!"

Every one of the twenty-four cannons on the Boreas' starboard side that were still functional fired their rounds. This time, the attack was more synchronized and concentrated. Although they couldn't tell for sure, there were definitely a number of splintering sounds mixed in with the splashes of cannonballs hitting water, signaling that the Odin had in fact been hit.

Swinging fairly quickly to port, even though they were only running on two out of three masts, the Boreas entered a lull in the combat, hopefully out of angle or range from the Odin's guns.

Satisfied with the distance he had seemed to put between his ship and his enemy's Halvard turned to look at the five trembling people standing near him.

"Is everyone alright?" He asked them. "No one's hurt?" He knew full well that they were in no way 'alright'. To his knowledge, none of them had ever been in a battle like that before, so their nerves were likely to be frayed. His question was more in regards to their physical status. Making sure there were no wounds from flying splinters. That was, after all, the most common injury during a naval battle.

Everyone looked over each other, recovering from the shock of the experience. Elsa was the first one to respond to Halvard after checking to make sure she didn't feel any pain from anywhere, which would indicate a wound.

"Yes..." She answered shakily. "Yes, I think we're all okay." The four others nodded in affirmation. They all slowly regained their composure as they realized they were out of danger. At least for now.

Satisfied with the response, Halvard focused his attention back to the operations of the ship. A crewman came up the stairs to the quarterdeck, ready to give the captain a report.

"We landed five hits on the Odin. Maybe six. It's difficult to be completely sure. Either way, they likely took only minimal damage." He shook his head slightly and looked disappointed while delivering the news.

"What about us?" Halvard asked.

The man looked over his shoulder to the deck where the other members of the crew were running around, clearing debris and reloading cannons. Looking back at the captain, he continued. "Well, we took a number of hits, but fortunately nothing too serious. Except for the hit to the mast, of course."

"Of course." Halvard echoed, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. The skirmish was brief but intense. given the relatively few number of shots the Odin had fired, and also knowing the sheer number of cannons it possessed, it was obvious that Rasmus was just toying with them. It could have been a lot worse.

Having regained enough of her senses to think the situation over, Elsa walked up to Halvard.

"Can we make a run for it now?" She asked him. "Continue towards Arendelle during this interlude?"

Halvard wished it was that simple. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

"With the main mast missing, we have only have half-speed, at best. On top of that, the Odin is clearly faster than the Boreas. I'm afraid we wouldn't make it very far."

"Well then how about we just get through this fog?" Asked Anna this time. "At least then we can see who we're fighting."

"Unfortunately, Princess, the fog typically stretches for miles and miles. It would take quite some time to get through."

A silence fell over all of them. The only other alternative was to stay and fight, and that was not an ideal prospect either.

"We seem to be low on options." Eugene commented as he rubbed his temple with one hand.

Before the awkward silence could return, Kristoff noticed something strange in the water off the side of the Boreas.

"What's that?" He asked, grabbing everyone's attention.

All of them looked over to see Rasmus, walking across the surface of the water, creating a path of ice underneath his boots as he approached. The Boreas was moving slowly due to its battle damage, so Rasmus' trail of ice stayed easily in view. By the time he had stopped walking towards their ship, he was less than one hundred feet away, close enough to shout over to them.

"Queen Elsa!" He yelled. His voice echoed slightly off the water around him but did not travel much past the Boreas due to the deadening effect of the fog.

Elsa walked up to the railing to look directly at him. He seemed calm. His hand behind his back and his uniform neatly kept. There were no signs that he had been in the same peril that Elsa felt just a few moments ago.

"Would you care to join me out here?" He continued. "For negotiations."

Everyone gazed upon Elsa, each with their own opinion of how to react, and each wondering whether or not the queen would share their opinions. Anna thought it would be best to blast Rasmus with a cannon right where he stood. Halvard figured the safest course of action would be to refuse and remain aboard the ship.

Sensing the reluctance, Rasmus clarified his intentions.

"I assure you I am unarmed." He held his arms out wide to either side, showing he held no weapons. "All I intend to do is talk. You have my assurances."

The response Elsa gave, after only a few moments of consideration, surprised everyone.

"Very well." She told him in an emotionless voice.

Rasmus nodded and remained standing at the end of his path of frozen water, waiting for the queen to join him.

As Elsa turned to walk down the stairs to the main deck, Anna quickly followed.

"What are you _doing_ Elsa?! You can't go out there!"

"This might buy us time Anna." She answered, facing her. "And time is something we need at the moment. Repairs can be made while I talk to him."

"And what if he tries to attack you? Remember he still has half of your powers!"

"And I have the other half." Elsa put a gentle hand on Anna's arm, hoping to reassure her. "I can still defend myself. Don't worry." She looked towards Halvard. She saw that he understood her reasoning. "But Halvard, don't lower your guard. Make sure the Odin does not continue the attack while we are distracted."

"Yes, Your Majesty." He replied.

With no other way to try and talk Elsa out of it, Anna watched as her sister created a staircase of ice that led from the Boreas' railing, down to the water. Once she was on it, the connection to the Boreas dissolved and her ice was now floating freely on the surface.

Anna may not have been able to go out there with Elsa to support her while talking to the lunatic of a King, but she would sure as heck not take her eyes off the two of them during the entire proceedings.


	23. Chapter 23 - Meeting on the Water

Chapter 23 - Meeting on the Water

Elsa walked cautiously out towards Rasmus on a trail of ice that looked almost identical to the one the King was currently standing on. The Boreas was now sitting still directly behind Elsa, ready to pick her up should she suddenly need to flee from Rasmus. As she neared him, she noticed he seemed a little out of breath, possibly from the effort of creating all of the ice he had walked out on. But before Elsa had a chance to comment on the matter, Rasmus had spoken up.

"You know, I must say. These powers are quite impressive." He looked at his own hands which he brought from behind his back and held in front of him. "It truly is marvelous what can be done with them."

Elsa came to a stop, standing about ten feet from Rasmus on her own platform of ice. Despite the praise he seemed to be giving her, she knew it was just empty small talk. Words with no substance. She decided to reply similarly.

"It would seem you've become quite adept at using them." She noted, feigning interest.

Rasmus chuckled at this. "Not as adept as I'd hoped by now. However, this is not why I've come to talk to you."

"Then why are you here?" Elsa had hoped the chatter would have lasted a bit longer. It would buy even more time for the crew of the Boreas to make some repairs.

"I'm here to accept your surrender." Rasmus replied, putting his hands behind his back once again.

This time, Elsa chuckled. "Surrender?" She was not the type to submit to anyone, especially if there was still hope for a way out of a difficult situation, even if that hope was small.

"Yes." Rasmus continued. "You can't effectively fight the Odin in this fog."

"You don't seem to be having any difficulty fighting in this fog." Elsa replied quickly, cutting him off. During the battle, it seemed as though the Odin was still able to see the Boreas, despite the fog. She hoped to find out how exactly that was happening.

"When you engage in combat it is always wise to ensure you have the advantage, and at the moment I do." He replied. "But even if I didn't, you can't escape from this fog either. It's just the two of us now. One ship against one ship. So why don't you retrieve the Ice Stone which you no doubt have securely hidden on your ship and come with me back to the Odin. No struggle, no fighting."

Elsa had no intention of going along with such a proposal, but to keep the conversation going, she played along.

"And if I do? What will happen to the Boreas?" She asked.

With a grin on his face Rasmus looked to his right at a piece of debris that was floating near their ice platforms. "I have little interest in your quaint vessel, Elsa. I could clearly destroy it at any time."

The comment made Elsa swallow, hard.

"If you come with me, I will let the Boreas withdraw, and it will not be harmed." Rasmus added, looking back up at her.

"You know I would never agree to that." Doing so would mean that she would practically be handing Rasmus the rest of her powers. Not only would she likely be killed after he took the rest of them, but it would also be guaranteeing Arendelle's destruction, and the potential destruction of countless other kingdoms.

"I know you wouldn't." He replied to her. "You would all willingly die to try and save your kingdom. It is admirable... but also foolish."

The conversation was going nowhere. It was obvious that Rasmus demanded nothing less than unconditional surrender. Elsa, however, would not even entertain the possibility of going along with that, since she knew it would be worse than at least going down fighting. Sensing Rasmus would turn to walk away at any moment, she attempted to stall him again. Attempted to stop him with one last effort to try and change his mind.

"Rasmus, look at me."

He stared at her, head tilted slightly, confused as to why she had suddenly changed her voice to a soft tone and was looking at him with compassionate eyes.

"Right now, you and I are probably the only two people in this world who share this unique ability... this marvelous gift." She let a small puff of snow escape from her hand and flutter to the ice below her. "When we first met, it was different, but now we each have that in common. We are also each the rulers of our own kingdoms. Are we really so different from one another now?"

To her surprise, Rasmus continued to stare at her. She had expected him to laugh at her pathetic attempts to tug at his conscience, but perhaps it was working.

"We each care deeply about our kingdoms. We want to protect them from harm and ensure that they prosper. The only thing that differs is the way we each intend to go about accomplishing that."

She thought of all those storied she had read in the library as a child. Many of them would end up having the protagonist show the 'bad guy' the error of his ways, and make him realize there was an alternative to the evil he was about to carry out. A part of her even believed it might just work outside of a fairytale world.

"There are other ways to get your kingdom respect in the eyes of others. It doesn't have to be through this way." She explained with a soft smile.

"This is the way I've chosen, Elsa. The way my father would have chosen." Rasmus replied. His voice was now softer as well. His stance more relaxed and open. He had expected Elsa to figure out what he had planned fairly quickly, so he wasn't surprised when she mentioned this. After kidnapping her and revealing part of his plans already, it would have been easy for her to figure he would be heading for Arendelle.

"I'm not sure about that." She continued. "I think he would have preferred you carry his legacy forth in cooperation with your neighbours."

Rasmus backed up slightly, a slight sneer growing on his face. "You don't know my father at all. What gives you the right to claim you know him better than I did?"

"Maybe I have no right at all. And no, I didn't actually know him. But I know what he had to deal with. The troubles of running a kingdom. The pressure. The stress. The fear that you might not be keeping your people as safe as you could be."

Rasmus lowered his gaze to the ice again, considering what Elsa was saying.

"It's the same thing you are learning to deal with right now." Elsa paused for a moment as she reached her hand forward gently, gesturing for Rasmus to take it. "Perhaps we can each learn to deal with it together... peacefully?"

Just when Elsa had figured that he might actually take her up on it, that he might really put his hand in hers and stop all this fighting, something set him off. It was as though one particular word caused a lever to flip in his mind, returning him to the cruel and heartless person he had been when she was being held captive by him.

"No." He said breathily and recoiled back from her. His face put on a menacing scowl once again. "Great men are not peacemakers. Great men are conquerors. History remembers the ones who reach out and _take_ what they want, not barter for it like some spineless businessman."

Elsa's smile disappeared from her face and her hand slowly fell back to her side. Rasmus' tone grew even more demonic.

"I'll show you my true nature. My father's true nature. As Arendelle falls remember that this is the real legacy of the Southern Isles. And that legacy shall echo through history long after yours has faded to a dim memory!"

With those words he turned sharply and stormed off back down his path of ice, dissolving it as he walked away. Within seconds, he was out of sight in the fog and Elsa stood speechless before retreating back to the Boreas along her own trail as well.

* * *

Rasmus made it back to the Odin and walked quickly and quietly across the deck to re-take his position at the rear of the vessel. Many of the crewmen watched him from the corners of their eyes, noting how he seemed to be in an even worse mood than he was before. They all dared not utter a word or even look directly at him.

Passing by Hans on his way up to stand near Dagmar again, he finally spoke.

"Prepare to resume the attack. The queen was unwilling to give up so easily."

Hans did not look at Rasmus as he gave his orders, but instead continued to look through the Gale stone off in the direction of the Boreas. What he saw confused him and he immediately brought it to Rasmus' attention.

"Your Majesty, I spot two ships approaching." He told the king, still looking through the stone.

Rasmus stopped walking and turned around to face Hans, also surprised by the appearance of two additional ships. They were in the middle of a giant patch of fog. The likely hood of them being seen by anyone at all was slim to none.

"What kind of ships?" He snapped. "Who's colors are they flying?"

Lowering the Gale Stone, Hans slowly turned his head to look at Rasmus as he answered.

"Ours."

* * *

Elsa had just walked back up another staircase she had made to return aboard the Boreas. The use of her powers to make the ice she walked out to Rasmus on had left her feeling drained. Ordinarily, such a small usage of her magic would be of no consequence, but in her current state, it wore her out. She hated feeling this weak.

Before she could make it far, Halvard came up to her from the other side of the ship.

"Your Majesty." He greeted her. His voice was low and he looked more concerned than she had seen him in quite some time. He motioned his head towards the ships far side and Elsa followed his gaze. "Two vessels approaching... Southern Isles vessels."

Barely visible out of the fog, but growing clearer by the second, Elsa saw two ships travelling side by side, heading directly towards the Boreas. On the top of their masts flew the crest of the Southern Isles, the same unmistakable crest that flew on the top of the Odin as well. The two ships were identical, each slightly smaller than the Boreas, but together they could no doubt be more than a match for them. On top of that, they still had the Odin to contend with as well.

Anna was with Kristoff, leaning against the Boreas' port railing as she watched the two new ships sweep to the side and begin to slow down.

"Great." She sighed. "Just when I thought this couldn't get any worse."

Anna may have been the one to say it, but everyone was thinking the same thing. Now their numbers were three to one. Any glimmer of hope that they were all hanging onto beforehand was now shattered.

"They're slowing down, and maintaining distance." A crewman called to the captain. He continued to stand next to Elsa, attempting to come up with a plan to fight against all three vessels.

The lead ship had come to a complete stop parallel to the Boreas. A man walked up to the railing of it and called out to the Arendellian ship which was now easily within talking distance.

"Queen Elsa?" The man questioned.

Elsa responded by walking up to the railing of the Boreas so that only two railings and the water stood between her and the person who had addressed her. She walked slowly and with no enthusiasm whatsoever. Now that Rasmus had rejected her attempt at a peaceful solution, and now that the odds of winning the upcoming battle had just diminished even further, she saw no way out of her predicament.

_Checkmate._

"Yes?" she replied, looking lazily over at the man.

"I am Prince Stefan, commanding the Arcadia and the Pontus. Might we be of assistance?"

His words didn't register at first. She thought she had miss-heard him. Tilting her head slightly, she repeated his words hoping for clarification.

"Assistance?"

"Yes... The Southern Isles considers this an internal political issue. We regret you've become involved." Stefan replied. There was an obvious hint of embarrassment in his voice as he explained his intentions to the queen.

The depression Elsa had slumped into was shrugged off immediately. Her eyes light up and a smile of incredulousness grew on her face. Everyone else who had heard the Prince's words felt the same sudden jubilation.

"Prince Stefan, when this is all over, I will be very much in your debt." Elsa told him, smiling fully now and barely able to contain the urge to bounce up and down.

A muffled explosion came from somewhere off in the fog. The Arcadia suddenly shook and Stefan had to grip the railing as a cannonball from the Odin impacted his ship.

"Your Majesty, when this is all over, I think we will just call it even." He returned Elsa's smile and got ready to head back onto the center of the deck to resume command. "Let's get to work."

Elsa nodded at his final words and began to walk back to Halvard and the others. Additional cannon shots were heard as more of the Odin's projectiles flew through the air. The entire mood on the ship had changed. Everyone was filled with renewed determination and that trampled glimmer of hope started to shine brighter again.

Unlike Elsa, Anna wasn't able to contain her joy and was hopping from foot to foot.

"They're going to help us? I don't believe it!" She shouted.

"Neither do I, Princess. But I'm definitely not complaining." Halvard replied. He darted back up to take his place behind the Boreas' wheel and looked over the deck of his ship. "You heard the Prince! Let's get to work!"

Men raced back to their positions, manning the cannons and beginning to listen for the sounds of the Odin's cannon shots once again. Instead of tipping the scales against them even further, the arrival of Prince Stefan and his two ships may have actually evened up the odds a bit.


	24. Chapter 24 - Working Together

Chapter 24 - Working Together

The Boreas began to move forward again, reaching an effective combat speed. The two Southern Isles frigates, led by Prince Stefan, joined them, beginning the elaborate dance that constituted the maneuvers of battle.

A few more cannon shots flew by the Boreas, one grazing the bow of the ship, the other flying by and missing completely. In response, cannons from the Arendellian ship and both Southern Isles vessels fired out in the direction the Odin must have been in. There were the sounds of several hits, and several misses. With three vessels now focusing on the one target, it became easier to estimate the Odin's position and land successful hits.

Halvard was still at the wheel of the Boreas. He preferred to be the one directly controlling the ship during combat such as this. He kept an eye on the positions of the two friendly vessels, the assumed position of the Odin, the heading of his own ship, and the actions of his crew. It was a lot to juggle at the same time, but it was moments like this that Halvard had trained for. _This_ was his specialty.

"Keep a sharp eye out for what vessel you're firing at." Halvard yelled down to the gunnery crews on the deck. "I'll keep us close to the Prince's ships, but if we start to drift apart I don't want to fire on a friendly vessel."

"Yes sir!" Several men manning the cannons yelled in response.

In these conditions, friendly fire was a definite possibility. If the three ships were to get far enough apart to lose one another in the fog, they would have no way of telling if they were aiming for the Odin's cannon blasts, or each other's. That's why Halvard was coordinating his movements with Stefan and the captain of the second ship, removing that danger.

The ship continued to rock with the occasional impact of a cannonball. The Arcadia and Pontus were hit with cannons as well. The Odin was firing on all three of their ships simultaneously. The incoming attacks were relentless, but the return fire was equally as brutal. Halvard could tell that they were dishing out many good hits against the Odin. If they could keep this up, perhaps they could defeat it.

A few cannonballs flew into the rear of the Boreas, traveling through the entire length of the upper cabin deck and blasting out the doors that led to the main deck. Anna, who was with Elsa and the others, saw the impacts and knew they were right below them, where her and Kristoff's cabin was. She cringed at the thought of disarray the room must have been in now. It was bad enough with her having been living in there for a number of days, but now with cannon shots blowing holes in the walls, it most likely looked like a _complete_ disaster.

"They're right behind us!" One of the cannon spotters yelled. "We can't get a shot!"

"I'm bringing us to port!" Halvard called back as he turned the ships wheel hard to the left. "Continue returning fire!"

The Boreas swung nimbly to its left, bringing the port cannons into angle with where the Odin was lying off in the fog. Successive explosions rang out across the decks as the crew let loose a full broadside. Halvard continued the turn which brought the bow of the ship facing the target. The Twenty-four pound chaser cannons at the Boreas' front end fired as well, adding to the devastating attack.

Coming up into position, the Arcadia and Pontus unleashed their cannons in the direction the Boreas had fired. The sounds of cannonballs hitting wood were clearly heard as the shots made contact with Rasmus' ship.

* * *

Fuming with frustration from seeing that Stefan had backstabbed him and was now _helping_ Elsa, Rasmus gripped the railings of the Odin as it shook form the numerous cannon impacts it was sustaining. It was minor damage for a ship of its durability, the iron clad hull was doing its job by absorbing most of the impact force and preventing excessive structural damage. Still, death could come from a thousand cuts, and Rasmus knew he had to quickly turn the tides back into his favor. He figured the fastest way to do this was to eliminate the two frigates as quickly as possible, leaving only the Boreas for him to deal with.

He had been toying with Elsa during the fight so far, not wanting to damage her ship too much in case she came to harm in the process. Stefan's ships, however, were not part of his plan. And he would unleash the full firepower of the Odin to take them out of the battle.

Walking over to Hans, who was still providing firing directions while looking through the Gale Stone, Rasmus violently grabbed the stone from his brother and brought it up to his own eye. Scanning the horizon line for his targets, he spotted the three vessels, all maneuvring with each other while lobbing cannon-fire at the Odin.

He noticed one of the Southern Isles vessels, the Pontus, was slightly farther apart from the Boreas and the Arcadia. _My first target_, he thought to himself.

Shoving the stone back to Hans, he walked over to the railing of the ship. The entire deck was still shaking form the impacts it was receiving as well as the thunderous explosions of their own cannon-fire.

"Head for the flanking frigate!" Rasmus shouted. "All port cannons on my mark!"

Up at the wheel, Dagmar obeyed and turned the Odin so that it's port side was lined up with the Pontus. It and the other two ships were still laying down cannon fire into the fog, some shots hitting the Odin, but most missing. As it got into position, the Odin was also continuing to fire when the opportunity presented itself, but the majority of its cannons were holding for Rasmus' order.

The Pontus came into the correct position. In line, and alone. Rasmus gave the command to let all cannons loose on the target.

"FIRE!"

A blinding flurry of almost seventy cannonballs flew out towards the unsuspecting Pontus all at nearly the same time. The violent force of dozens of impacts literally erased certain parts of the ship's hull. Almost all of the Odin's volley had hit its mark.

Creaking heavily and lumbering slightly to one side, Rasmus watched as the Pontus began to break up. Merely an hour ago he would have been saddened by witnessing the destruction of one of his kingdom's own vessels, but now, he considered that ship and all those aboard it, traitorous. Seeing it destroyed meant fewer obstacles in his way.

_That's one down. _He thought while walking back up to the ship's wheel.

* * *

The sailing being conducted by Halvard was complex. To keep friendly vessels in sight, the maneuvers had to be taken sharply. However, the combination of avoiding collisions as well as the occasional thicker patch of fog meant that sometimes, the Arcadia or Pontus would be out of sight for a moment.

At this moment, the Pontus had swung wide to the Boreas' port side to line up a shot with the Odin and was somewhere behind a particularly dense part of the grey veil of water vapor. While Halvard was preparing to turn the ship to port in order to regain sight of the Southern Isles frigate, a rapid succession of cannon blasts, more concentrated than he had heard in the entire battle thus far, was heard from somewhere in the mist.

Closely following the explosions, loud crashing and breaking of wooden supports could be heard alongside splashes and the yelling of men's voices. Before he could try and figure out what had happened, the shattered and collapsing bow of the Pontus emerged from the fog on a collision course with the Boreas. He flung the wheel hard to starboard again, hoping to narrowly avoid an impact with the tattered hull of the vessel that was now fully visible to him.

Up near the front of the Boreas, Elsa and Rapunzel were helping an injured crewman back to his feet. Since there was no single safe place on the entire ship to be, the two of them, as well as Anna, Kristoff, and Eugene, figured they might as well help out a bit by taking wounded men down to the infirmary. It was no more dangerous than standing idly by Halvard up on the quarterdeck anyway.

The rapid movement to starboard caused both girls to stumble while they were lifting the man up. Looking to the bow of the ship, to their horror they saw the front end of the Pontus only a few feet from them. They both ducked as the two ships scraped against each other with a sharp jolt. Loose ropes and pieces of the broken bowsprit swooped low over top of them, snapping some of the Boreas' own rigging and dislodging a few of the cannons that were closer to the point of impact.

The Boreas continued to move forward, passing by the rest of the Pontus which was now starting to sink further beneath the waves. Men jumped off of it and into the water, abandoning their doomed vessel. The Boreas was unable to pick up any of the men due to the speed it was moving. It was also being kept occupied by the Odin's continued assault.

"Whoa." Rapunzel muttered, stumbling back to her feet and looking at Elsa. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Elsa was stunned as well. The battle having heated up again, she found herself acting more on instinct and adrenaline than logical thought. It was probably for the best. This way, she would be quick to react, and also not have time to process the mayhem going on around them.

"Come on, let's go." Said the queen. Her and Rapunzel picked up the man again and headed towards the stairs that led down to the lower deck.

While the girls helped the injured man down to be treated by Doctor Josef, another crewman ran up to give Halvard a report.

"Major damage to the port-forward quarter, sir!"

"Alright, I'm bringing us about." Halvard replied, turning the wheel to have the damaged side of the Boreas face away from where he assumed the Odin was at the moment. "Clear the deck of debris, and get those cannons re-aligned!"

"Aye sir!" The man ran back down to carry out his orders.

* * *

Rasmus held the Gale Stone again while standing near Hans. He watched as the Boreas turned to shield its injured side from the line of fire. The Arcadia moved past the Arendellian ship and fired off its bow cannons in the direction of the Odin. The odd shot hit, but most landed harmlessly in the waters around them.

Handing the stone back to Hans again, he hatched a new idea in his mind, one that should make quick work of Prince Stefan's approaching ship.

"Prepare to lower both anchors!" Rasmus ordered to the crew around him. "Reduce our speed to narrow the gap between us and the Arcadia. I want them to be able to spot us visually."

"What?" Hans replied. He didn't understand this line of reasoning. Their advantage had been staying hidden in the fog. Why would Rasmus want the enemy to get close enough to negate that advantage.

"Carry out my orders!" The king shouted back. He didn't have time to explain his tactics. All he wanted was compliance.

Without further discussion, Hans and everyone else onboard went about carrying out what Rasmus had demanded. The restraints that held the anchors securely in place were removed and teams stood ready to lower them at the King's command. The sails were trimmed to reduce the Odin's speed and soon after, the Arcadia came close enough so that even without the use of the Gale Stone, the vessels could see each other.

* * *

Prince Stefan stood by the wheel of the Arcadia. Judging by the sounds of muffled cannon shots, they were currently chasing down the Odin. Slowly from out of the fog, he began to make out the shape of the massive black and navy-blue vessel that they were all fighting against.

"There it is!" The prince yelled as he pointed towards the Odin. It's stern was now substantially visible off ahead of them and slightly to the right.

"We've got a visual on him!" He looked down to the crew on the deck of his ship. "Stand by all starboard cannons!"

The men loading the cannons on the starboard side of the Arcadia stood ready as the distance between them and their target was slowly diminishing. They would have a perfect shot soon.

* * *

Rasmus and Hans watched the Arcadia get closer and closer. It's bow cannons were firing at them, impacting with little difficulty now because of having a target to spot, but the small nine-pound projectiles were not enough to penetrate the thick iron plates of the Odin's hull. The larger side-mounted cannons on the Arcadia would pose a danger though.

"He's almost on us!" Hans called to Rasmus. He was impatient and still confused at Rasmus' current maneuver.

"Not yet." Rasmus replied quietly. He started walking back up to the quarterdeck to stand near Dagmar at the wheel again. Hans followed him up. Rasmus still kept his eyes focused on the frigate which was now very close to the Odin.

Vibrations kept shaking the ship as the small cannons form the Arcadia continued to hit the hull. The angle of approach meant that even the Odin's aft facing cannons couldn't return fire at the moment. Rasmus waited and waited, allowing the gap between the ships to become very small.

Hans couldn't holt it back any more. He faced Rasmus directly and yelled to get his attention.

"Your Majesty!"

Rasmus ignored Hans' outburst but a split second later he had decided that the gap had become small enough.

"Drop anchors!" He commanded.

The Odin's two massive anchors were set loose, allowing gravity to pull them down into the water. A few seconds later, the anchors hit the relatively shallow ocean floor of the area. Dragging across the bottom, the Odin's speed was reduced so suddenly that all those aboard lurched forward due to the deceleration.

The Arcadia, still carrying on at its full speed, began to pass the Odin's port side. Once it was lined up, Rasmus gave the order.

"All port cannons! Fire!" He yelled.

As the Arcadia passed closely by the length of the Odin, it was pounded by dozens of cannonballs. The attack was so quick and unexpected that Stefan's crew had no time to react before being blasted by the Odin's projectiles. Rasmus watched as his ship continued to fire, one cannon after the other, while they were passed by the smaller frigate. By the time the Arcadia was beyond the Odin's bow, It had lost two of its masts and taken severe damage to the entire length of its starboard hull.

Rasmus turned back to face Dagmar and Hans as the Arcadia slowly drifted to a stop a few hundred feet off the Odin's port bow, broken and no longer a threat.

"Raise the anchors and bring us back to combat speed." He ordered Dagmar. He didn't want the Boreas to show up and start shooting them while they were sitting here near the wreck of the Arcadia.


	25. Chapter 25 - The Winds of Change

Chapter 25 - The Winds of Change

The Boreas had come up beside the Arcadia during a brief lull in the combat. The Southern Isles ship was a complete disaster. Masts lay toppled onto the deck, cannons were wrenched from their positions and sat upturned, and the entire starboard side of the ship was riddled with holes. It was amazing that it was still afloat.

Prince Stefan was leaning against one of the railings of his vessel. Fortunately, he had not been severely injured. Elsa walked up to the Boreas' railing to be able to talk to him across the gap between the ships.

"Can your ship remain afloat?" She asked him. It was an odd feeling for her to be worried about the welfare of a ship from the Southern Isles. Up until the prince had shown up and valiantly fought alongside them against the Odin, she had assumed that all vessels from the Southern Isles were to be considered hostile once again. But now, she had genuine concern in her voice.

"For the moment..." Stefan replied. He looked around the deck, spotting destruction, blood, and unfortunately, the occasional body. "But we're dead in the water. I don't think we'll be of any more help in this fight, Your Majesty. I'm sorry."

He had never suffered such a crushing defeat in combat before. Not like this. He felt bad for the loss of his ship and some of his crew, and terrible for not being able to help Elsa any further.

"That's alright." Elsa reassured him. "I understand." She did not expect him to show up in the first place, so the help he did give was more than she could have ever hoped for.

Still wanting to assist in some way, Stefan spoke up again.

"What we _can_ do is rescue the crew of the Pontus." He told her. "They were in even worse shape than us, so we can help them out in the mean time." Stefan knew this would leave the Boreas to focus solely on the Odin instead of trying to launch a rescue mission at the same time.

"Thank you, Prince Stefan." Elsa's gratitude was for more than one reason. She figured he would understand that.

Before the calming moment could continue any longer, the Boreas was shook by cannon fire again. It was almost becoming routine now. Elsa, Anna, and all of the others barely even flinched this time.

The attack was coming from the Boreas' starboard aft side which was facing away from the wreck of the Arcadia. The cannonballs ripped a series of holes through the side of the hull, tearing into the wood planking of the decks. By now, the ship had so many holes in it that the fact that it was still holding together was a true testament to the quality of its construction. This recent attack, however, was one that was particularly harmful.

One of the crewmen came up to report to Captain Halvard.

"Sir, we've taken a hit below the waterline. A section near the starboard bow is starting to flood!"

"Get valuable supplies out of that section. Get down there to try and seal it off!" He ordered. "And be careful!"

The man nodded and took a few of the men near him down the stairs that led into the ship. Halvard was well aware of the dangers of trying to seal a breach such as that, but if it was left open, the entire ship would eventually sink. He turned the Boreas to the right, hoping to allow what was left of the gunnery crews to line up shots to return fire. Before they could even get a chance, an additional volley from the Odin impacted the hull.

Elsa was standing on the deck near Halvard and the others, taking in all what was going on around her. She knew the situation was deteriorating. Given the current conditions, they did not seem to have any chance of defeating the Odin. Suddenly, an idea sparked in her head.

_Then I'll just have to alter the current conditions._

What she had thought of was a long shot. It might not have the desired effect. In fact, it might not work at all, but it was their only hope.

"Captain." She addressed Halvard who was still manning the ships wheel.

He turned his head to look at her but didn't say a word. The bleakness of the situation and his concentration on steering the ship were foremost in his mind.

When he didn't respond, Elsa simply continued her thought.

"I think I have a way to level the playing field."

She certainly had his attention now. He passed the wheel to another crewman as the Queen began to explain what she had in mind.

* * *

Confident once again after disabling both of the Southern Isles frigates, Rasmus stood beside Dagmar up on the quarterdeck of the Odin, spouting orders to the crew who responded with haste. Hans was still holding the Gale Stone to provide locations of the Boreas. After a quick attack while they were sitting next to the Arcadia, Rasmus was now gearing up for another strike.

"Prepare for a run past their stern. All port cannons." He commanded.

Dagmar turned the wheel in the appropriate direction to line up the maneuver when a sudden gust of cold wind blew across the entire deck. It wasn't a very forceful wind, but it was still noticeable against the relatively calm winds they had been experiencing during the entire time they were in the fog.

"What was that?" Rasmus asked.

"I don't know." Answered Dagmar. He gazed to his left and right trying to identify anything that could have caused the breeze. Nothing was immediately apparent.

Shrugging it off as something natural like an approaching storm front, Rasmus focused again on his attack.

"Hans!" He shouted to the deck below him. "Are we in range?"

"Almost." He called back to the King. "A few more..."

Hans was cut off by another gust of wind, this one stronger than the last. The wind was enough to buffet the sails and make manuvering more difficult than it ordinarily would. Dagmar was becoming annoyed.

"Rrrr... What _was_ that?" He grumbled, turning the wheel to adjust for the altered conditions.

Rasmus was about to reply with an 'I don't know' when a realization suddenly dawned upon him. It was something he had hoped he wouldn't have to contend with, especially since he had planned to have _all_ of Elsa's powers by now. Fighting against another ship was something the Odin could manage, easily. But fighting against magic... that was different.

* * *

Elsa was in the middle of the Boreas' main deck. Halvard, Anna and the others were standing near her, but not too close. In her hands, Elsa gripped the Ice Stone tightly, focusing on it with all of her might. She had her eyes clenched shut and her face pointed down towards it. She had remembered how the Ice Stone had been sending massive blasts of wind out across the sea from the island they stumbled across several days ago. Even though the Boreas was miles from its location, the gusts were extremely powerful. Powerful enough, she hoped, to accomplish what she was trying to do.

She was focusing on getting the stone to release more of those blasts of wind. From what Rasmus had told her, the Stone acted as some sort of conduit. It had its own powers but it also linked to the powers of other magical sources. She figured that she might be able to use her abilities to trigger the stone in some way. It seemed that she was correct to some degree, but so far, she had only been able to get it to give off weak blasts of wind.

"I can't seem to get it to release anything more powerful." She complained, keeping her focus on the stone and her eyes closed.

The crews manning the guns stood at the ready, each aiming out over the water in a pattern that allowed for almost complete coverage. Everyone else was waiting patiently, but wanted to encourage Elsa as much as they could.

"I'm sure you can. Keep trying. That last blast was more powerful than the first." Rapunzel told her. Her tone gentle and supporting.

"You're doing fine! Keep at it!" Anna added, her voice equally as tender.

The Queen concentrated more on the object in her hands, willing it to somehow listen to her thoughts. The stone released a third blast of icy air, travelling out across the deck, causing everyone to bring their hands up to cover their faces for a moment. Whatever Elsa was doing was working. The winds were getting stronger. They were still not nearly strong enough though.

"It's really hard. I... I don't think I have enough power to do it right now." Elsa mumbled again. Even with all of her powers available, she was not sure if she would be able to do this. It was draining her every ounce of strength to get the stone to release a wind more forceful than she ever could on her own.

"You can do it Elsa, I know you can!" Anna told her again. She wanted Elsa to know that she had her full confidence. It had been their love for each other that had allowed Elsa to thaw the entirety of Arendelle nine months ago. That love had given her the capacity to effortlessly control her powers in a spectacular way. Anna was hoping that the confidence she was showing her sister now would bring forth that same ability.

Anna's words of encouragement seemed to be doing just that. Elsa focused on her sister, the faith that she had always shown in her, even if she didn't feel like she deserved it. She focused on the fact that Anna was depending on her to do this. _Everyone_ was depending on her to do this. The stakes were unimaginably high, and she had to succeed. Failure was not an option.

With more focus than she had ever given before, she concentrated all of her remaining strength through her hands and into the stone. The resulting yell from deep inside her would have been terrifying to an outside observer.

"HuuuuuuAAAAHHH!" She shouted at the top of her lungs as the stone finally let out what she had been trying to bring forth. The Ice Stone sent out a blat of wind so powerful, it practically knocked over everyone on the deck. The Sails fluttered violently, but because Elsa had been standing in the exact middle of the ship, the wind was spread out evenly and caused no major damage to the Boreas.

The winds traveled away in a hemisphere from the stone, pushing out across the sea with such force, that the fog itself was shoved along with it. Reaching out to the point where the Odin was, the wind rocked the massive ship and blew all of the fog completely past it. As the gust continued even farther, everyone on the Boreas could now clearly see their enemy for the first time in the entire battle.

"There it is!" Anna yelled, pointing at the Odin which was almost directly to their port.

The crew didn't even wait for a signal from the Captain. They immediately focused all of the port cannons on the vessel and fired. With no obstructions in the way anymore, their aim was dead on. Every single one of the shots fired from the Boreas hit its mark. The Odin was shaken fiercely by the impact of the cannonballs. Wood splintered and men were yelling from the impacts.

Performing a quick turn, the Boreas's front cannons were brought into line with the Odin. They all fired and each hit their target as well. Halvard, moving back up to the ship's wheel, continued to turn the ship to line up the starboard cannons. With pride, and a hint of revenge, he decided to voice his orders this time.

"Fire at will!" He yelled as the starboard side of the ship came to face the Odin.

All of the cannons fired and hit the target, sending even more black splinters flying across the deck of the Odin. Rasmus' ship still wasn't helpless though. By the time the Boreas was firing its starboard cannons, the Odin had returned fire. Several shots made contact and several missed.

After getting the Ice Stone to release the blast of wind, Elsa had collapsed to the deck with exhaustion. Anna and Kristoff went over to help her up and they both carried her back up to lie on the bench that was behind the ship's wheel on the quarterdeck.

Halvard continued to maneuver the Boreas into firing positions. At least with the fog gone, they now had a slight advantage over the Odin in the area of agility. Being a smaller vessel fighting a larger one, they would have an easier time avoiding shots while also being able to land hits with accuracy.

* * *

Rasmus was caught off guard by the sudden bombardment after the fog was violently pushed away by the massive gust of wind. He grabbed a hold of the railing in front of him as the entire ship shook from the impacts of dozens of cannonballs. His crew were all scampering across the deck, trying to regain their posts so that they could return fire, but the sudden attack had thrown the typically orderly crew into chaos.

As the Boreas continued firing, one of the shots flew through the side of the railing he was standing near and went past him across the back of the deck. Rasmus turned just in time to see the deck beside Dagmar explode into millions of pieces of wood, sending the man flying backwards away from his position at the ship's wheel.

"Dagmar!" Rasmus yelled as the gruesome sight unfolded before his eyes. He ran over to his brother, but he instantly recognized that it was too late. He was lying in a growing pool of blood. Shards of wood sticking out of his chest and neck. He was gone.

Despite the mayhem around him, Rasmus stooped down for one final moment with his brother. He was no stranger to losing his siblings. He had ordered the deaths of Andor and two others, but Dagmar was always the one he was closest to. It felt different than the others, and in that brief moment he began to wonder if he really _should_ have felt different for the loss of his other siblings. If he should have had them killed in the first place. They were just as much family as Dagmar was, after all.

But it was different. Dagmar had always stood by him, always agreed with is every word. And now he was slain. Slain by the forces of Arendelle. His grief turned to anger as he stood back up and took the wheel of the ship. Additional cannon fire came from the Boreas, rocking the Odin even more as Rasmus ordered the crew to return fire.

"Get back to your stations!" He yelled. "Target the Boreas! All cannons FIRE!"

The Boreas swung gracefully past the Odin as it fired all of its cannons. The smaller ship was hit by a number of shots as well as it moved along past the bow of Rasmus' ship. Hans walked up towards Rasmus, gripping the railing between impacts as he ascended the stairs. He glanced down quickly at Dagmar's body, still lying where he had fallen. Not paying much attention to his dead brother, he got the King's attention.

"The fog's almost completely dissipated." He reported. "The gust of wind has pushed it all out of range."

Rasmus had reached his limit. He was furious, to the point where the wheel of the ship had started to frost over in the areas he was gripping it. This battle had taken far longer than he had anticipated and wanted it to be over with immediately. One possibility he thought of might lead to a quicker outcome. If it could be accomplished, he could unleash the full power of the Odin upon the Boreas without worrying about possibly killing Elsa in the process.

Grabbing Hans by the collar, he brought his face close to his.

"Prepare a boarding party! BRING ME ELSA!"

* * *

**A/N:** It's not over yet! The action continues onward!

Another big thanks to the reviewers! I get excited every time I see another one posted.

Make me happy again by posting a review for this chapter. You know you want to... ;)


	26. Chapter 26 - Intruders

Chapter 26 - Intruders

Now that the fog was gone, everyone aboard the Boreas and the Odin could both see one another clearly and without any obstructions. If anything, the removal of the fog increased the intensity of the battle. The smaller Arendellian ship sliced nimbly through the waters as it fired upon the larger Southern Isles vessel which returned fire the entire time. It was a battle of firepower versus firepower, tactics versus tactics. Both Halvard and Rasmus were experienced military commanders. Neither one seemed to have an edge as far as strategy was concerned.

The breach in the lower compartment of the Boreas had been sealed by the men who were sent to repair it, but soon a new problem would present itself. Halvard was about to bring the ship into line with the Odin again to release another broadside when the wheel would suddenly no longer turn. He jerked it hard in both directions but the wheel was completely stuck.

One of the crewmen near him saw the captain struggling and came over to him.

"What's wrong?" He asked the captain, shouting over the constant sound of cannon shots and impact explosions.

"I can't turn the wheel!" Halvard replied, still yanking the wheel in any direction, hoping it would budge. It didn't. "The rudder chain must have taken a hit!"

"It might be caught on something." The crewman replied.

Without the ability to turn the rudder, the ship would be stuck in a forward direction, unable to turn nearly as effectively. This needed to be fixed if they had hopes of manuvering during battle.

"Take men and go down deck by deck inspecting the chain." Halvard ordered the man. "Get it working! Whatever it takes!"

Hurrying away, the crewman took several other men below deck to begin to search for the problem. As they went out of sight, Halvard looked over his shoulder to see the Odin coming up from the starboard aft, parallel to the Boreas. As the ship approached, he saw men standing on the railings, gripping ropes in one hand and swords in the other. The Captain knew what was coming next, and without the ability to turn to the left or right, there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Oh no..." He muttered. It was loud enough that Elsa heard it.

"Captain?" She asked, fearful of what might be next.

The Odin was now almost beside the Boreas. Halvard shouted down to his crew to prepare them for the inevitable.

"Prepare to repel boarders!" He yelled. In response, the crew all pulled out their swords and muskets, readying them to fire upon the crew from the Odin which were now only a few feet from their starboard side. Halvard turned to face Elsa and the others. He realized their safety was of the highest priority.

"Your Majesty. I must insist that you and the two princesses head below deck now and barricade yourself in a safe location."

"Wait, what?!" Anna replied. She was panicking and confused, still not thinking clearly due to all what was going on around her.

"I cannot guarantee your safety if you remain up here while we are fighting off intruders." Halvard replied harshly, hoping he would make a point. "You MUST go!"

The three girls looked at each other with worry in their eyes. They didn't wait for long before nodding in agreement.

"What about Kristoff and Eugene?" Elsa asked, realizing that Halvard had only forced the three of them to go below and specifically left out mention of the two men.

Halvard looked at the two of them with an apologetic face. He dint want to have to ask this of them, but it was necessary.

"Unfortunately, I need the two of them to assist here on deck." He told all of them. "We are short handed and I need the extra men."

Kristoff and Eugene looked at each other then at Halvard.

"Of course." Kristoff answered with a nod. He didn't expect to just stand by while the other men up on deck gave their lives to defend the ship. He may not have been a trained sword fighter, but he still knew enough to help.

Rapunzel's eyes met Eugene's for a moment of silence that spoke volumes while Anna's met Kristoff's. She was a little less silent.

"Kristoff..."

"GO, Anna!" He cut her off before she could protest. "I'll be fine, you three just keep each other safe!"

Elsa dragged the other two girls down the stairs towards the door leading to the interior of the ship. All the while, Anna's eyes never left those of her husband.

With the three of them gone, Kristoff and Eugene nodded to each other. Eugene pulled out his frying pan, and Kristoff unsheathed the sword Halvard had been training him on. The two of them descended down to the main deck to stand alongside the other men who were ready to fight to the death to maintain control of the Arendellian ship. The Odin was directly alongside the Boreas. Men on the ropes got ready to swing over and begin fighting for that control.

"You ready for this, Mountain Man?" Eugene asked Kristoff as they stood side-by-side.

"Ready as I'll ever be..." Kristoff replied, glancing towards the frying pan in Eugene's hands. "...chef."

A single chuckle was his response. There was no time for any other words as the crew form the Odin swung over on ropes and began landing on the deck of the Odin. War cries amidst the occasional gunshot were the only things that could be heard for the next several minutes. Men from the Boreas fired their muskets at the intruders swinging over form the Odin. Several of them were hit mid-flight and fell to the waters between the two vessels before even making it to their target. Others landed safely and immediately began swinging their swords violently at the Boreas' defenders. Without giving themselves a chance to second guess their actions, Kristoff and Eugene ran forward, yelling and wielding their weapons.

The fight spread all across the deck. The chaos prevented many of the gunnery crews on the main deck from continuing to fire on the Odin during the process. Fortunately, just as the Odin was preparing to send over another wave of men, the wheel under Halvard's grip became free again. His men had obviously freed the rudder chain from whatever was blocking it and he was once again able to turn the ship. Putting the wheel hard over to Port, he got the Boreas away from the Odin's side and back to open water. They would still have to fight ship-to-ship, but at least no further intruders would come aboard.

The fight was going well for the two princes down on the deck alongside the Boreas' other crewmen. Kristoff was able to use his strength to make up for his lack of skill with a sword, muscling his way to victory against several opponents. Eugene held his ground as well, providing a satisfying GONG every once in a while as his frying pan made contact with the head of one of the Odin's men.

They were beginning to thin the enemy's numbers when Kristoff noticed someone out of the corner of his eye. He noticed the distinctive hair and sideburns that he had come to hate over the past several months, and come to wholeheartedly _despise_ in the past several days.

_Hans_.

Kristoff figured that he must have come aboard with the others and simply went unnoticed during the frantic combat. He watched as Hans seemed to be searching the deck for someone. It didn't take Kristoff long to figure out who he was looking for, why he was here, the purpose of the whole boarding party to begin with. He was going after Elsa.

At that moment, Hans caught Kristoff's gaze. The two of them locked eyes. Kristoff knew what Hans was up to, and Hans knew he knew. With a despicable smirk on his face, Hans quickly darted down an open hatch that led to the decks below. The decks where Kristoff knew the girls were hiding somewhere.

Without hesitation, Kristoff ran towards the hatch and jumped down after Hans, leaving Eugene and those remaining of the Boreas' crew to finish dealing with the dwindling numbers of the intruders that were still on the deck.

* * *

Hans stalked through the lower decks of the Boreas like a predator searching for his prey. The quiet while he searched for the Queen was a stark contrast to the noise of the combat going on above him. There was still the occasional cannon shot from both the Boreas and the Odin as the battle between the two ships continued as well as the fight between the men on the deck.

He had handily taken out the occasional Boreas crewman who had stumbled upon him during his search. He figured the queen would be hidden somewhere out of the way. Somewhere safe and far from the madness of the sword fighting. He reached a storage room close to the rear of the Boreas' second lowest deck. It was dark and quiet.

_The perfect hiding place for a terrified queen_.

Out of the darkness, two Arendellian guards came rushing forward. They were both skilled fighters, but Hans was their better. As the first guard lunged at him, he nimbly sidestepped the strike, grabbing the man's wrists and re-directing the thrust into the second guard. He then pulled the sword out, simultaneously impaling the first guard with his own sword. The two men were defeated so quickly it was almost laughable.

Peering into the now un-guarded room, he could not see anything beyond the edge of the doorframe. In a flash, a frying pan was suddenly flying towards his face. Hans was barely able to duck down to avoid being smashed as the pan swooped over his head and clanged against the frame behind him. His eyes now adjusting to the dim light, he could make out Elsa, Anna, and Rapunzel, who had just tried to attack him.

"Aha!" He spoke softly. "There you all are."

Rapunzel tried to take another swing at him but Hans grabbed her wrists mid-swing, ripped the pan from her and shoved her back into the other two girls. Elsa tried to respond by shooting a blast of ice towards him, but he easily avoided her shots. On top of that, her weakness after clearing the fog with the Ice Stone had made her bursts of magic inaccurate and very tiring to cast.

"What's wrong Elsa? Feeling a little more drained than normal?" Hans teased after her third attempt to freeze him in place.

Anna couldn't take standing idly by anymore. She gripped the short sword she had been given tightly in her hands and rushed forward at Hans with a scream of anger. Having practically no skill with a blade, her attack was intercepted by Hans' sword which he held at an angle that redirected her momentum and sent her crashing into the wall behind him.

Regaining her balance, Anna stood up again as Hans began walking towards her.

"Oh, this is almost too easy." He told them all with a smirk on his face. He had nearly reached Anna and was readying his sword for a strike.

"Anna!" Elsa cried. She began to run forward to stop Hans. She would do anything, try anything to stop him from hurting her sister. From hurting her _again._

Before she could make it even one step, a cannon shot from the Odin impacted the Boreas very close to the room they were all in. The resulting explosion of wooden planks and supports dazed all four of them. When they all uncovered their eyes and the ringing had dissipated from their ears, they noticed that Elsa and Rapunzel were now completely blocked off from Hans and Anna by a fallen support beam from the large gap that was now in the roof of the room. Other debris filling the space made it impossible for the two girls to go and assist Anna who was now alone to deal with Hans.

Turning to look towards the Queen, Hans grumbled in frustration as he was now, once again, blocked from grabbing Elsa and heading back to the Odin. The one upside, was that he had Anna here in front of him, with no backup.

The redhead pushed herself to a standing position, pointing her sword directly at Hans. She held it with both hands at arm's length away from her. It was not at all the proper way to hold the weapon. Her facial expression was an angry scowl on the surface, but on the inside, she was more terrified than she had ever been in her entire life. She hated the man in front of her more than anyone, but she also feared him equally as much. The conversation she had with Elsa a few days ago, the one about feeling like you wanted to kill someone, came up in her mind. Here she was, with that same feeling again. The desire to take a life. To take Hans' life for what he had done and was trying to do. Just like it did nine months ago, it was an awful feeling, but it was very, _very _strong.

"Oh, now that's a look I don't think I've ever seen on your face before, Anna." Hans began. He was staring at her as she pointed the sword at him. His own sword was held lazily at his side in his right hand. He knew he didn't have to fight seriously against her. She stood no chance.

She trembled under his gaze as he continued.

"A look of complete hatred. Murderous rage. So unbecoming a princess."

She gritted her teeth as she responded. "Just because _you_ haven't seen it doesn't mean I've never shown it before."

"Ah yes. I imagine you felt quite similarly, oh about... nine months ago?" He replied.

"Shut up!" She yelled back at him.

"Anna! Get away!" Called Elsa, who was still watching the situation unfold from behind the debris with Rapunzel.

Ignoring the queen, Hans continued to taunt the Redhead.

"You know, it's a shame your usefulness in this plan ends here and now." He slowly started raising his sword. "I would have liked to see the look on your face when you saw Arendelle laying in icy ruins yet again."

Hans was about to disarm and finish off Anna all in one quick blow when a voice from behind him interrupted his actions.

"That's not going to happen!"

Coming to her rescue again, Kristoff barged in through the door and landed a heavy punch on the side of Hans' face. The impact sent the smaller man spinning where he stood and stumbling into the wall opposite of them.

Anna couldn't believe it. She figured that she was about to die, right then and there, in order to protect Elsa from Hans. She never expected to be saved from him by Kristoff for a second... no, third time.

"Kristoff!" She yelled

"Anna! GO!" He yelled. "And take Elsa and Rapunzel too!" He took the sword from Anna's hands and pointed it at Hans. He had lost his sword during the chaos in the Boreas' corridors when he was trying to follow Hans down to where he was.

Anna ran out of the room and back up towards the main deck. Elsa and Rapunzel squeezed through a hole in the back wall of the room and headed down a different corridor to meet Anna up top.

Hans rose to his feet again. His lower lip was bleeding and there was a big red mark where Kristoff's fist had impacted his chin. He wiped some of the blood from his face as he chuckled and faced his new opponent.

"Well, well... Mountain man." He taunted. His tone was still cocky, even though he had just been decked by Kristoff. "It looks like it's just you and me now, doesn't it?" He raised his sword to a fighting position, holding it with perfect form and stance, ready for a proper duel.

Kristoff held his sword sloppily. He had little difficulty with the crewmen of the Odin he had fought up on the deck a few minutes ago, but simply by the way he stood, he could tell that Hans was far more experienced.

With a massive and devilish grin, Hans gave one more taunt.

"Shall we begin?"


	27. Chapter 27 - Moving out of Check

Chapter 27 - Moving out of Check

Back up on the main deck, the Boreas' crew had finished off the last of the boarders. It was a good thing that Halvard had been able to maneuver away from the Odin before additional men could swing across, otherwise they might have been overrun. Eugene was catching his breath while examining his now dinted frying pan when Elsa and Rapunzel came up on to the deck from one of the forward hatches. Rapunzel ran over to Eugene as soon as she spotted him.

"Eugene!" She hugged him tightly after a running tackle. She was relieved to see he had survived the combat on the deck.

"Oh, thank heavens you're alright." He replied. Equally as relieved that she was okay as well. He noticed right away though, that only two of the girls had come up the hatch.

"Where's Anna?"

"I'm right here!" Came a voice form behind him.

Anna ran out of the door that led into the cabins under the quarterdeck and directly into Elsa's arms. The queen was almost knocked over by the force of her hug.

"Anna! I'm so glad you're okay... but don't you ever do something like that again! Alright!" Elsa scolded. She was so grateful that her sister would risk her life to protect her, but being seconds away from watching Hans kill Anna in front of her eyes was too much to handle.

Ignoring her reprimand, Anna pulled out of the hug to look the blonde in the eyes.

"Elsa! What about Kristoff!? He's still down there with Hans. Alone!"

Elsa hadn't forgotten that for a moment, but she knew she needed to get back up to the deck first before sending help.

"I know." She replied. "Eugene, Kristoff's in trouble. Take several men down to the lower deck and..."

"LOOK OUT!"

A shout cut Elsa off. It was Halvard, calling out from up near the ship's wheel. He was pointing towards the Odin which had manuvered to get ready for a broadside against the Boreas.

In a particularly devastating strike, the Odin had let loose dozens of its cannons upon the Boreas. The destruction traveled like a wave down the ship, starting at near the bow and moving aft. The stairs leading up to the hatch that Elsa and Rapunzel had ascended merely seconds ago was torn to shreds by a direct impact. Eugene and the girls dropped to the floor as more cannon shots flew over their heads and impacted the deck behind them. As the attack continued, projectiles form the Odin made Swiss cheese out of the rear end of the ship up near the wheel. Halvard had to perform a diving jump over the railing of the quarterdeck and down to the main deck in order to avoid the thousands of splinters that erupted from where he had been standing.

The bombardment had stopped, but not before the entire back end of the Boreas was in ruins. The ships wheel had been obliterated and the cabins underneath the quarterdeck, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff's cabins, were utterly destroyed.

Elsa ran over to Halvard where he had landed on the deck. She was glad his reflexes were so attuned to allow him to escape harm, but the jump alone could have killed a man if they didn't know what they were doing.

"Halvard, are you okay?" She asked desperately.

Standing up and brushing himself off, the captain replied. "Yes... Yes I'm alright." He looked back up to what was left of the quarterdeck and shook his head.

"Captain!" A crewman called from up near the bow hatch. "We've been cut off from the lower decks sir! All access has been blocked or destroyed!"

This was bad timing. Elsa knew Kristoff was still down there with Hans somewhere and that he needed help.

"Halvard, Kristoff is still down there, and he's fighting Hans!"

The captain understood the situation. He knew Hans was a capable fighter, and although Kristoff could easily beat the prince in an arm wrestle, a swordfight was not won by strength alone.

"Clear access immediately!" Halvard yelled to the crewman. "We still have an intruder aboard and we need reinforcements down there as soon as possible!"

While all of them were looking forward across the Broken deck of the Boreas, they noticed the Odin coming into view directly ahead of them. It swung around so that its bow was pointing right at the Boreas' and came to a slow stop a few hundred feet away.

"What's he doing?" Rapunzel asked as she stared at the imposing bow of the enemy vessel.

Halvard took a few seconds to respond as he watched the Odin as well.

"He's taunting us." He replied. "He knows he's crippled us. He knows we can't maneuver anymore."

"But we're a sitting duck." Anna spoke up. "Why isn't he just finishing us off?"

"Why waste ammunition." Eugene added.

Elsa was listening to the entire conversation as she too did not take her eyes off the Odin. Part of what Halvard said had made sense. Rasmus was taunting them now. Taunting her. He used his ship to loom over them like a knight standing over the broken body of an opponent he had just defeated.

_But I'm not dead yet!_ She thought.

"He's not only taunting us..." She told the others. "He's waiting for us."

"Waiting?" Halvard asked.

"Waiting for us to take action. Waiting for us to continue attacking in some futile attempt to defeat him." She paused for a moment as another idea sparked into her mind. "He's letting us make the next move... And that means we've got him!"

The queen turned to look at the deck behind her with a small smile on her face. She was planning it out now, reasoning what she could do to gain the upper hand again. Anna, Rapunzel, Eugene, and Halvard were all still confused. They didn't know what Elsa was talking about.

"Elsa? What do you mean 'we've got him'?" Anna asked.

"Right now he thinks he knows exactly what we're going to do. He expects us to fire at him while he's sitting there, but we still don't have any hope of defeating him, do we Captain." Elsa looked at Halvard as she finished talking. Her look was one that meant she wanted a completely honest opinion, not sugar-coated to make the situation seem better.

Resigning himself, Halvard gave that honest opinion.

"No, Your Majesty... we don't."

"Which is why we're not going to do what he expects." Elsa turned back to Halvard. "Captain, prepare to lower both anchors. I need the ship to stay in one place if I'm going to pull this off."

Still uncertain what Elsa had planned, Halvard ran over to get some of his men to prepare the anchors for lowering. The deck was littered with debris, so much of it had to be cleared in order to even get access to the anchor chains near the bow of the ship.

From across the water, Elsa saw a man walk up to the front of the Odin. It was Rasmus. He stood looking out towards the Boreas and called over so that he could be heard over the gap between the two vessels.

"I hope you're still alive Elsa!" He yelled.

The queen walked up to the bow of the Boreas in order to partake in the conversation. Much like she had done earlier when they met out on the ice, she hoped that a small talk would buy them time while the crew got ready for what she had planned.

She stood next to the front railing and faced Rasmus, shouting back so that he could hear her clearly as well.

"Oh yes, I am still very much alive." She put as much sass as she could into the reply, hoping to infuriate Rasmus a tiny bit and gain dominance in the conversation.

"Then don't you think it's time you surrendered?" He called back. "Why should everyone else aboard the Boreas have to die?"

While still facing Rasmus, she looked at the crews who were getting the anchors ready from the corner of her eyes. She needed to stall a bit longer.

"You know, Rasmus, I don't think I've ever told you about my fondness for a good game of chess." She began, distracting the King with a seemingly irrelevant story. "It's a truly marvelous game. Filled with moves, counter-moves, well thought out plans and deceit."

Rasmus stood silently at the railing of his own ship. He didn't know exactly where Elsa was going with this, but he kept listening. Partially out of some sort of perverse amusement.

"One of the more interesting aspects of the game is the subtle, yet important, difference between _check_ and _checkmate_." She continued. "Something you should learn about me, Rasmus, Is that I never show even the slightest sign of giving up until I've reached _checkmate_."

When she finished her speech, Halvard gave her a thumbs up from over near the port anchor, showing her that they were ready to drop them at her command.

Oblivious to what was next and still uncertain as to the meaning of Elsa's little story, Rasmus called out to her again.

"Your Majesty, as much as I enjoy listening to you talk, I really think you should..."

Rasmus cut himself off at the sight of Elsa walking away from the Boreas' railing and back a few paces. Her audacity was really starting to get on his nerves.

"Ready?" Elsa asked Halvard.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He stood at the port anchor, holding the pin that released the chain. Another crewman stood at the starboard anchor ready to do the same thing.

Standing in front of the foremast where Elsa had spent a great deal of time sitting and thinking during this voyage, she looked out towards Odin, noticing Rasmus still standing at the bow of his ship. This opportunity may not present itself again, so she had to act upon it.

"Alright Captain... lower anchors."

Halvard and the crewman on the opposite anchor pulled the pins to release the heavy anchor chain. The anchors fell into the water with a splash and were very quickly making their way to the ocean floor. Much like with how the Odin had dropped its anchors while fighting the Arcadia, the Boreas' anchors hit the bottom fairly quickly due to the shallow waters they were in.

Not waiting for the chains to stop uncoiling off the deck, Elsa raised her hands in the direction of the Odin and began to focus her magic on the water between the two ships. Almost immediately, large cracking sounds could be heard coming from under the ocean's surface ahead of the Boreas. Soon, a mass of ice began to rise from the calm waters. Jagged and looking very threatening, it grew as Elsa pumped more of her power into creating the object.

Using her powers so extensively, _again_, after having been weakened from the last usage and only having half of her power to begin with, was _incredibly_ strenuous. As if she was trying to lift heavy boxes after just running a marathon, her body was screaming for her to stop. Stop and relax. But she ignored the cries of fatigue, and continued to expel trails of frosty air that coalesced into the ever-growing iceberg she was creating.

Giving it a bit of forward momentum, she strained as she made a thrusting motion with her right hand. The resulting push started to move the Boreas backwards as the iceberg began to move forwards, fortunately, the ships lowered anchors held it in place once the chains had gone taught.

Her plan was working, and hopefully, it was catching Rasmus off-guard.

* * *

Staring ahead in confusion, Rasmus began to make out the sight of a large wall of spiky ice that appeared to be rising from beneath the surface of the water. It didn't take him long to notice Elsa, on the deck of the Boreas, focusing her magic towards the iceberg. She was obviously creating it. Continuing to watch, the growing chunk of ice started moving towards him. It all suddenly clicked into place. Elsa was going to ram this iceberg into the Odin.

Starting to panic, Rasmus turned around to face towards the crewman who was now at the wheel, far back at the stern of the ship.

"Hard to port!" He yelled, hoping that he could get the Odin out of the way of the approaching ice.

Had Rasmus been more comfortable with the magic he now possessed, he might have tried to fight against Elsa by pushing back her iceberg. Unfortunately, his less than successful attempts to create forceful blasts of magic left him realizing that he could not currently match Elsa's control over the power. The most impressive thing he had been able to do so far was create the platform of ice he had walked out on to meet her on the water. He hated to admit how much energy it took out of him to do that. He would have no hope of stopping what was nearing his ship using his own magic. He would have to rely on traditional tactics.

Turning while sitting still was a slow process for any vessel, even one as well designed and relatively manuverable as the Odin. As the ship very lazily started to pivot to the left, Rasmus began to wonder if it would be fast enough to avoid the imminent collision.

* * *

Still focusing all of her power into the iceberg ahead of her, Elsa expected herself to feel a lot more tired than she was at the moment. She was still exhausted, but considering the extensive use of her powers in the past hour, she didn't think she would actually be able to pull this off. Perhaps it was the adrenaline? Perhaps it was the knowledge that Arendelle's fate depended on this very moment.

From behind her, Halvard, Anna, Eugene, and Rapunzel were all gripping onto various parts of the ship for support. The wind being propelled across the deck was very forceful. The entire ship shook and made it difficult to stand and watch the events unfolding before them. However, all four of them held their ground, watching Elsa work wonders again, quietly encouraging her with every fibre of their being.

The iceberg had grown to incredible size now. It's front was covered in rough shapes and occasional spikes of ice. Satisfied that it was now large enough, Elsa put the remainder of her strength into pushing it forward with as much force as she could. She wanted it to be going as fast as possible as it impacted its target.

* * *

Rasmus had run back up to the quarterdeck and assumed a position next to the wheel. It didn't take him long to figure out that the Odin was not going to be able to get out of the way in time. The iceberg, which was now higher out of the water than the peak of his ship, was mere feet away and speeding up. He considered addressing his crew and yelling 'Brace for Impact', but he was in too much shock to get his mouth to say the words that his brain was thinking. It didn't matter anyway, since all of the crew on deck were staring at the approaching ice and fleeing from the bow of the ship in terror.

Almost as if the events played out in slow motion, the massive iceberg made contact with the bow of the Odin. It had first hit slightly to the starboard side since the ship had begun turning to port. The initial jolt of the impact sent everyone onboard lurching forward a bit. The Odin may have been a heavy vessel, but the impact of thousands of tons of ice was more than enough to shake the ship.

Chunks of ice broke off the berg, littering the front of the deck with its debris. The hull of the Odin was being equally as damaged. Planks of wood snapped from the force of the impact and continued pressure of the incoming momentum. The iron plating lining the inside of the hull was no match for the sheer force of the jagged ice bending it and ripping it apart. As opposed to a quick 'bump' that would have resulted from two smaller objects colliding, the impact was long and drawn out, crumpling the front of the Odin more and more as the energy from the icebergs movement was expended.

After a good twenty seconds of violent shakes accompanied by the sounds of splintering wood and bending metal, the iceberg had come to a stop, fully imbedded in the ship's bow.

Rasmus looked towards the sight with horror. Amazed by the power Elsa still possessed even now.

* * *

**A/N:** I know everyone was looking forward to Kristoff vs. Hans, but don't worry... that's next!


	28. Chapter 28 - A Deadly Duel

Chapter 28 - A Deadly Duel

While the naval battle was continuing up above deck, Kristoff and Hans were still below in the lower decks of the Boreas. After only a few seconds of combat in the room in which Kristoff had come to Anna's rescue, Hans decided that the close quarters fighting in that tiny room was a bad idea against his muscular opponent. He therefore decided to dart out of the room in order to fight in a more favorable location. This led Kristoff on a hunt through the dark corridors of the cargo deck.

Just seconds ago, Kristoff could hear the peculiar sound of intense wind rushing by outside the ship, followed by the far off sound of ice crashing into something. He didn't know what was going on out there, but he also didn't want to get distracted at the moment. The duel with Hans had quickly turned into more of a game of hide and seek, but he knew it could be just as deadly as direct combat, which it would likely lead to anyway.

Kristoff was walking slowly through one of the larger cargo holds on the Boreas. There were no windows in this room, so the only light was what trickled into the area from the corridor. His eyes were adjusting to the darkness, allowing him to more clearly make out the shapes of the boxes and barrels all around the room. So far, he did not spot Hans.

_Typical of a coward._ Kristoff thought. _He brags that he can defeat me in a duel and then runs away._

Although he found it despicable, Kristoff could see the cunning in Hans' actions. He could jump out of nowhere and stab him in the back at any time, defeating his opponent quickly, cleanly, without risking injury to himself.

Just as Kristoff was wishing that there were some Arendellian guards down here to help him out in this predicament, a blur of motion came in from his right. All he could make out were Hans' swinging legs impacting him in the chest before he was sent flying across the room. Hans dropped from his position gripping the top of the doorframe and walked over to Kristoff who was picking himself up off the floor.

With that smug and arrogant smile, Hans sneered at Kristoff again.

"Surprise."

* * *

Rasmus had regained some of his composure after the shock of what happened to his vessel had somewhat worn off. He couldn't lose focus now. He had to put his anger aside and concentrate on his current task. Defeating the Boreas, defeating Elsa. To do that, he first had to get his ship to be able to effectively maneuver again. That meant dislodging it from the iceberg that was still rammed into its bow.

"Rotate all available cannons to face that iceberg..." He ordered in a calm and calculating voice. "...and open fire."

The men on the deck of the Odin angled all of the forward cannons so that they were facing directly at the iceberg. Some of the port and starboard cannons that were close to the front end of the ship were also angled to get a shot at the target. Soon after, the firing crews started setting off the cannons, hurtling projectiles into the ice in an attempt to break it up. It was working. Large chunks of ice were breaking off the main mass as the cannonballs hit it, sending explosions of frozen water out from each impact, littering the deck and raining down into the water.

Cracks were forming in the structure of the iceberg. The hull of the Odin groaned as it started to be freed from the unwanted merger of ship and ice.

* * *

On the deck of the Boreas, Elsa was lying down near the middle of the ship with Anna and Rapunzel tending to her. She was utterly spent, and couldn't even stand due to her exhaustion. The rest of the crew were busy attempting to make repairs when cannon shots began to sound from the direction of the Odin.

They all prepared to take cover again from the incoming fire only to see that the Odin was firing into the iceberg and not at the Arendellian ship. From their perspective, with the mountain of ice in between their two ships, the crew of the Boreas could see the berg being slowly chipped away by the firepower of the Odin. It didn't take long for a few cannon shots to begin travelling through the thinner edges of the ice and fly over towards the Boreas, some landing harmlessly in the water, some hitting the ship directly.

They were once again, under fire. Impacts started rocking the ship, and with no wheel to maneuver with, they were helplessly sitting there, unable to turn and flee.

* * *

Hans was just about to take a swing at Kristoff with his sword when the entire ship shook from the impact of a cannonball. This caused both men to stumble a bit, interrupting the fight. Another sharp impact sent them both tumbling to the ground. Kristoff groaned in pain as the part of his chest that had been kicked hit the floor hard. Hans got to his feet again and vaulted over top of a barrel to close the distance between him and Kristoff again.

Watching the Southern Isles Prince approach him with murderous fury in his eyes and sword drawn, Kristoff was barely able to raise his own weapon in time to block the attack. Metal impacted metal with a reverberating CLANG, sending painful vibrations through Kristoff's arms. Hans recovered from the parry and raised his weapon to swing down for another attack when Kristoff kicked his leg out and hit Hans' ankle. He fell to the ground in a thump, giving Kristoff time to get himself up again and ready for another blow.

Righting himself in a flash, Hans swung his sword up with such force that it knocked the weapon right out of Kristoff's hands. The follow-through of the swing left the tip of the blade slicing through the flesh near Kristoff's left shoulder. It was not a deep cut, but it was enough to cause blood to immediately start oozing from the wound.

"Aaaaggh..." Kristoff yelled as the pain from the slice was sent across his whole body. He instinctively raised his right hand to cover the injury, the blood starting to seep onto his palm right away.

Hans steadied himself and let out a breath.

"Huh... You're better than I thought you'd be." He was waving the end of his sword at the unarmed man now in front of him. "Still completely inexperienced, but better than expected none the less."

Kristoff was through being taunted by this smug jerk. He had tried to kill Elsa and Anna several months ago and he had terrorized Anna, _his wife_, only a few days ago. He couldn't let Hans cause any more harm to the ones he loved. He had to be stopped.

As if it were timed perfectly, another shake form an impact rocked the Boreas. Kristoff took advantage of the situation and dove head first into Hans, grabbing him around the waist and tackling him to the ground. The force of his lunge caught Hans off guard and sent his sword flying from his hands. Now they were both unarmed. Engaged in hand-to-hand combat, each with the intent on tearing the other limb from limb.

* * *

The Odin continued to fire upon the iceberg. The ice was now heavily eroded and covered in small impact craters from the cannonballs hitting it. The more damage it took, the more the Odin was able to lurch out of its grip.

Rasmus kept holding onto the railing at the edge of the quarterdeck, supporting himself as the vibrations of cannon shots and scraping of wood and metal on ice rumbled his ship as it dislodged itself from Elsa's attack, inch by inch. The ship was almost free, and as shot after shot shattered the ice, more of the Boreas was coming into view.

* * *

Kristoff laid a ferocious punch directly into Hans' face. The impact dazed Hans, causing him to lose focus for a second as the burly man pinning him to the floor was preparing to beat him to a pulp. Retaliating, Hans swung one of his legs up and kneed Kristoff in the ribs. Rolling over and clutching his throbbing side, Kristoff had no time to react as Hans got up again and kicked him in the same spot.

"Ahhhh!" Some of his ribs were surely broken, at least fractured. It became hard for Kristoff to breathe deep breaths without experiencing a stabbing sensation.

His mind was barely functioning from the overload of pain, anger, and fear, but he encouraged himself to keep fighting. Hans was about to kick him again when he reached out and grabbed his leg in mid swing. Lifting the appendage up, he swung Hans out from under his own feet again, sending him slamming to the deck of the cargo hold once more.

Standing up to head after Hans, Kristoff was in no way prepared for his opponent's next action. Hans quickly raised his legs up to an angle and with his arms resting against the floor and bent at the elbows, he thrust his feet forward, hitting Kristoff in the stomach. Feeling like he wanted to puke, he could barely look up at Hans to notice him limping over to where his sword had been thrown from his hands minutes earlier. In the darkness, Kristoff had no idea where his sword was. He was defenses. On his knees, bleeding from the shoulder, and holding one hand over shattered ribs with the other over his bruised stomach, he looked positively pathetic.

Hans was now standing over Kristoff, pointing his sword at the man in front of him.

"Once again... you've impressed me." Hans' words came in between heavy breaths. Kristoff took some comfort in the knowledge that he had at least put up a good fight against the Prince.

"But unfortunately for you, it's over now."

Another cannon impact shook the ship.

"You know, after I finish you off." Hans continued. "After I deliver Elsa back into Rasmus' hands. And after Arendelle falls before the might of the Southern Isles..."

He bent down and held the tip of his blade at Kristoff's neck, lifting his head slightly. Kristoff gave a hateful sneer in response before Hans continued.

"...I might just keep Anna alive. I might just go through with that wedding we had planned months ago. Make her my own."

The audacity of this man was ridiculous. Kristoff thought that he really was a demon in human form. There seemed to be no other explanation as to how someone could be so evil to their core. And now here he was. Beaten. Kneeling before this demon, awaiting the death he would bring because pain and fatigue prevented him from fighting anymore.

"I almost wish I could make you watch as I force her to submit to me." Hans pulled back his sword as he concluded his rant.

Kristoff really wasn't afraid of death. For most of his life he had been so alone that he knew no one would really even know he was gone if he were to one day just disappear. There would be no one to miss him. No one to mourn his passing, _except maybe Sven,_ but no _human_ at least. However, this was no longer true. He had friends now. He had a wife now. People he loved and people who loved him in return. The most frightening thing about his current situation was not that his life would end, but that he would be leaving behind everyone he cared about. Back at his wedding, he made a promise to himself that his new duty in life was to take care of Anna, to never let any harm come to her. If he died, he would fail that duty, he would fail Anna, and that thought sent more fear into him than anything else ever could.

When he looked up towards Hans, he was given a strong sense of déjà-vu. It was an identical image to the one he had seen back during the Great Freeze, when Hans was swinging his sword up to strike Elsa down out on the fjord. The only difference was that he was the recipient of the swing this time. Back then, Anna had run to save Elsa, but there was no one to come to his rescue right now.

He clenched his eyes tight, waiting for the inevitable, when a deafening crack exploded into the room. A cannonball, shot from the Odin, flew through the hull of the Boreas in the very room where both men currently were. As with all of the impacts during the course of the battle, a lethal shower of splinters and larger shards of wooden planks went flying through the room along with the cannonball. One particularly large fragment of wood flew directly into Hans, knocking him over and careening him into the back wall of the cargo hold.

As to be expected, Kristoff was completely stunned. His ears ringing from the sharp noise of the explosion, he looked over to where Hans was splayed out on the back wall, a large chunk of wooden hull fragment sticking out of his chest, close to his heart. Kristoff wasn't a doctor, but his wilderness skills taught him enough to know a fatal wound when he saw one, and this one was definitely fatal.

Still alive, and gasping for air, Hans dropped the sword from his hand, which he had somehow managed to retain a grip on during the violent impact he had received. With blood beginning to stain the clothes around his chest wound, Hans painfully sucked in his last breath while Kristoff watched.

Standing up and stumbling over to make sure he was no longer a threat, Kristoff stopped a few feet from Hans and he knew without a doubt; he was dead. He had died without uttering any last words. No remorse. No regrets. Not even an expression of worry or fear on his face. He was full of hatred right up until his end. If it wasn't for the fact that Kristoff knew the world was best off rid of Hans, he would have felt a bit sorry for him. Pity for a life that was driven by anger rather than love.

And as he walked away, perhaps he did offer that slightest bit of pity. Weather it was deserved or not.

* * *

**A/N:** And that's the end of Hans. Really enjoyable to write that guy out of the story. He's a fun villain to work with, but it's satisfying to see him get what he deserves.

A big thanks to everyone reviewing so far. I'm glad you like the story and I hope you will all enjoy the upcoming finale! As always, new reviews are appreciated.


	29. Chapter 29 - Rasmus' Final Move

Chapter 29 - Rasmus' Final Move

The Odin was finally free of the iceberg that Elsa had rammed into them. Having blasted it to pieces, the ship was now floating freely on its own, still facing the Boreas and not going anywhere. The damage from the impact and following extraction was severe. The entire front end of the ship was in ruins, crunched up and twisted. The bowsprit had broken off and fallen into the water and several of the interior decks were now completely exposed due to the gap in the Odin's front. Considering the extent of the damage, they were fortunate that the hull below the waterline was still mostly intact, otherwise they might have started to rapidly sink as water poured into the vessel's wound.

Sitting on a bench behind the ship's wheel, Rasmus held his head low in both hands. His fingertips were emitting snowflakes and a trickle of frost was starting to creep across the deck from where he sat. His emotions were getting the best of him, and it was showing through the involuntary use of his powers.

Ready to give a report, a crewman timidly walked up to Rasmus where he sat with his face in his palms.

"The forward armoury has been destroyed, sir." He began. "The only standard ammunition we have left is what's already loaded into the cannons. A few dozen shots at most, Your Majesty."

Lowering his hands and slowly looking up to the crewman, the realization was now starting to fully sink in for Rasmus. The Odin was crippled. It could no longer effectively fight the Boreas in a drawn out battle. He didn't want to waste what little cannonballs they had left on it when they were sure to need a few once they reached Arendelle.

_Arendelle._

They had still not continued on towards their primary objective. Rasmus had wanted all of Elsa's powers for himself so badly, that he hung around during this battle so that he could eventually get them. Now, Dagmar was dead, Hans had still not returned from his boarding party and was also probably dead, a good percentage of his crew was dead, and his ship was critically damaged. He realized that he had wasted far too much time focusing on Elsa. Getting her powers was a crucial part of his larger plan for expanding through Europe, but at this point, it seemed unlikely that he would ever get all of the magic. Half would have to do, therefore, Elsa served no more purpose.

"Deploy the mortars." Rasmus commanded the crewman who was still standing in front of him. He then turned his head to stare at the Boreas sitting defencelessly in front of the Odin. "Destroy that ship! Then set a course for Arendelle. We must complete our mission."

The crewman looked shocked, but nodded in compliance and headed back down to the deck.

Rasmus leaned back slowly into the crates behind him, his hands were still giving off shards of ice and the deck was still slowly freezing over. He was recalling the conversation he had with Elsa out on the water a short while ago. She had implied that she was willing to die in a futile attempt to stop him from reaching Arendelle, an act that he had found to be foolish at the time. But now that he was pondering what he was willing to give up in order to see his plan through, perhaps it did make sense.

"I guess some things are worth making sacrifices for after all, aren't they Elsa?"

His next actions meant that he would never get all of her powers, but that was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

The crew of the Odin immediately began the procedure to raise the ship's bombardment mortars up to the deck from underneath where they were safely held. It was a lengthy process that took several minutes, mainly due to the weight of the mortars combined with the massive support plate that they were firmly attached to.

The first step in readying the mortars was to flip up the large hatch doors that functioned as the deck over top of them. A number of men unlatched the hatches and pulled them up with ropes. In the mean time, the crewman who had taken over the ships' wheel was starting to slowly turn the Odin to face the Boreas sideways. This would allow for a more accurate, and more deadly attack.

* * *

On the Boreas, Halvard, Anna, Rapunzel, and Eugene were all helping Elsa who had mostly recovered from exerting herself by ramming the iceberg into the Odin. She was standing now, leaning against the ruins of the main mast in the center of the deck. Anna was close to her. She was worried about both Elsa and Kristoff, who she hadn't seen since she left him with Hans on the lower decks. Fortunately, the debris on the deck had been cleared enough to allow crewmen to head down and help him.

Halvard stood near Elsa as well. He had not known what the Queen had planned to do when she initially asked him to lower the ships anchors. He was impressed once again by her abilities when she created a massive iceberg to ram the Odin. Looking over at Rasmus' ship, the resulting damage left by the impact was also impressive. The entire front end of the ship was mangled. It was undoubtedly a crippling hit.

Still looking at the Odin, Halvard noticed that the ship was resuming its slow turn to port, bringing more of the starboard side to face the Boreas. He was also easily able to make out the sight of crewmen on its deck pulling back the large covers that he had observed when he was sneaking around it a few days ago trying to locate Elsa when she had been captured. He knew what those covers were for.

"Oh no..." Halvard whispered. It was still loud enough for the others to hear him though.

Anna looked over at Halvard, confused.

"'Oh no' what?" She asked him.

"The Odin." Halvard pointed across the water towards Rasmus' ship. All of the others saw as the hatches continued to be pulled up and off to the side.

"What are they doing?" Rapunzel asked, her eyes still focusing on the Southern Isles' ship.

"They're getting ready to fire their mortars."Said Halvard. "The ones I told you about."

Anna spoke up again. "At what? Us?" She had assumed those mortars were only for attacking castles and towns on land. Not for firing at ships on the water.

"Apparently."The Captain answered. "They are designed for bombarding targets on the shore, but they can still be very effective against another ship."

"Especially when we're just sitting here. Wheel destroyed, masts damaged, sails torn." Added Eugene. After the battle they had just been in, the Boreas was a little worse for wear. The main mast had been gone since the very beginning of the battle, but the other two masts were now damaged as well. Of the sails that were still attached to them, many of them were full of holes from cannon fire.

"Can we move out of the way or something?" Asked Anna. "You know, just avoid the mortars?"

"Even though they are damaged as well, they can still out-maneuver us at this point. We'd have no hope of getting away." Halvard hated to keep shooting down Anna's suggestions, but the situation was so dire that there simply was no escape. Like a limping criminal trying to out run a firing squad, there was no hope of making it away unscathed.

Elsa did not try to offer plans for escape. After looking around the deck, noticing the destruction all around her and listening to the comments of Halvard and Eugene, she realized that fleeing was not an option. Another choice had to be made.

"How long until they can fire?" She asked the Captain.

"Probably about six or seven minutes." Halvard told her. "Once the mortars have been cranked up to the level of the deck, they can aim them, load them and then fire. There are sixteen of them arranged in a four-by-four square which can all fire at once, blanketing us with shells. And if even one of those exploding shells hits us..."

He didn't have to finish for Elsa to understand what would happen. The shells fired by those mortars were designed to obliterate the thick stone walls of castles. It went without saying that those same shells would be incredibly destructive against the wood planking of a ship's hull.

Anna was starting to panic now. She had taken a little comfort from the knowledge that Rasmus wanted Elsa alive, meaning that her sister wouldn't be immediately killed by him. Now, it seemed that the King had changed his mind.

"How can he?" The redhead asked her sister with a worried voice. "He said he wanted to capture you! If he does this he'll kill you!"

Elsa stood up from leaning against the mast and looked over at the Odin as she spoke.

"It's not about me anymore. His desire to exact revenge against Arendelle, and then move onto expanding the Southern Isles further, is stronger than his desire to get the rest of my powers."

Elsa contemplated her options once again. Judging by the look on Halvard's face, he was doing the same thing. Unfortunately, he appeared to be at a loss. She was struggling to find a favorable option at this point as well. Hitting the Odin with the ice had damaged it, but not destroyed it as she had hoped. On top of that, doing so was very difficult for her and she did not think she could try it again. Smaller use of her magic felt possible at the time, but anything large would be too difficult. That meant she would only be able to be effective in close range.

_Close range._ Elsa thought to herself. _It also has the benefit of being the last thing Rasmus would expect at this point._

She had made up her mind. It seemed like the only option that would get everyone else to safety.

"Captain." Elsa began, getting Halvard's attention. "Would it be possible for one person to go over to the Odin and disable the mortars in some way?"

Halvard was surprised by this question. He had not considered the option of sending a boarding party over to the Odin since they would be greatly outnumbered. Regardless, he responded to the Queen's question.

"It would be... Theoretically someone could disable the mortars in a number of ways." He told her. "But anyone going over there has little chance of fending off the entire crew of the Odin while they do so."

Elsa didn't answer the captain. She just kept staring at the deck, thinking.

Halvard had seen that look on the Queen's face before. It was the look she got when she was about to make a difficult decision, and he knew right away what the decision was going to be.

"...anyone except..." Halvard spoke quietly as the understanding came to him.

Elsa looked up at him slowly, the same resolute determination in her eyes that she had shown before.

"No. No, no, no. I can't let you do that Your Majesty." He stammered.

"Do what? What's going on?" Anna asked. She had no clue what Elsa and the Captain seemed to be talking about.

"I'm the only one who can, Halvard." Elsa replied. "I'm going over there."

"WHAT?!" Anna shrieked. "Elsa, what are you talking about!?" She couldn't believe her ears. Elsa wanted to go over to the Odin? Now?! If she didn't know her sister better she would have thought she was insane.

"Anna, please. This is something I have to do." Elsa told her. She had made up her mind and was not going to be stopped by anyone, but Anna would be the hardest one to convince... as always.

"You keep saying that." Anna shot back. "You keep saying you have to do things. But you have to be here too! You have to be here for Arendelle!" Her voice lowered to a soft whisper. "...for me."

Elsa had to hold back tears. Anna always worried about her so much, and Elsa always managed to get herself into situations that caused Anna even more concern. First with the ice island, then the dinner with Rasmus, now this.

"Anna, I am doing this for Arendelle, and for you. If I don't go over there to stop those mortars... we're all doomed."

Anna, once again, didn't know how to respond to Elsa's explanation. She may have felt a great deal of concern for Elsa, but she also had the upmost confidence in her. If anyone could single-handedly disable the Odin, it would be her big sister. However, she still hated the whole idea. Fortunately, Halvard spoke out to support Anna's dislike for the plan.

"Your Majesty, let me go instead." Halvard spoke up. It would be irresponsible of him to let his queen go by herself on a dangerous mission when it should be him going in her place. "Or at least let me come with you..."

"No, Halvard. I want you to stay here." Elsa replied as she began to walk over to the railing of the Boreas. "You can't effectively fight Rasmus. Not when he has my powers."

He knew she was right. Halvard was a master swordsman, but fighting off the crew of the Odin while also defending himself against the magical attacks of Rasmus would be nearly impossible for him. With Elsa's powers however, it would be much simpler. Still, he felt compelled to try and stop her.

"Elsa." He reached out and gently grabbed her arm to prevent her from going just yet. "Surely there has to be another way? Something else we can do?"

"You said yourself that we have no hope of getting away. This is the only option." She looked at him directly. "Is it not acceptable to risk one life in order to save hundreds... thousands?"

Halvard was the one who didn't know how to respond now. He let go of Elsa's arm and she continued walking. Standing at the edge of the Boreas' deck looking down to the water below, Elsa held a hand on each side of the ship's railing at the gap that led down the ladder on the side of the hull. She psyched herself up before giving one last command to Halvard.

"Try and put as much distance as you can between you and the Odin."

Halvard nodded. Elsa was about to face out to the water again when Anna spoke out for a final time.

"Elsa." Her tone was soft this time, not loud and argumentative. "Promise me you'll come back, okay? _Promise me!"_

Elsa looked at her sister, then down to the deck near her, thinking deeply about how to respond. She knew the chances of her returning from this were slim, but she didn't want to let Anna know that. She also didn't want to lie to her sister either.

"I promise..."Elsa replied, looking back up at Anna. "...that I will try."

Without waiting for further protest, Elsa created a path of ice in front of her, off the edge of the Boreas and towards the water. She ran onto it and started curving it around towards the Odin. The angle she took towards it was wide and in the direction of the Odin's stern. She hoped that no one would notice her as she ran towards the ship. An element of surprise was not key to success here, but it would help.


	30. Chapter 30 - Final Fight

Chapter 30 - Final Fight

Elsa had just left the deck of the Boreas and was running across her own ice towards the Odin. Halvard, Anna, Rapunzel, and Eugene were all watching her intently.

From the ruins of the stern of the ship, Kristoff came out of the door underneath the quarterdeck. Anna noticed him immediately.

"Kristoff!" She exclaimed as she ran towards him and into his embrace. "Oh my goodness I'm _so_ glad you're okay!"

Kristoff simply hugged her back and didn't say anything.

Relieved to see her friend had survived his encounter with Hans, Rapunzel looked in his direction as well.

"Where's Hans?" She asked him.

At first, Kristoff didn't respond. The bloody battle he just had with Hans was still fresh in his mind. The anger, the fear, the sight of Hans' dead body. Kristoff wasn't a sheltered person growing up, but the intensity of the duel he had was not something he ever expected to be involved in. He decided to spare the others the gruesome details and replied simply.

"He's... He's dead."

The silence following his words was awkward to say the least. Everyone was surprised, but relieved to hear that Hans was dead. It felt odd to take pleasure in the death of someone, but they all reminded themselves that he was an enemy, and a truly evil person. Eugene was the first to break the brief silence.

"You beat him? Wow! Good job man." He immediately noticed how his words could be misunderstood and amended his comment. "...Not that I don't have confidence in your abilities..."

"No, I didn't beat him." Kristoff cut him off. "He beat me actually. He was killed by a cannon shot... just in time too."

Another beat of silence as they all took in Kristoff's appearance. He looked tired and acted as though he was trying to hide injuries. Being close to him, Anna was the first to notice.

"You're hurt!" She yelled as she noticed his bloody shoulder. The wound was not life threatening but it was still bleeding.

"I'm okay." He assured her, putting a hand on his wound and then pulling it away to notice wet blood still emerging form it slowly. As he looked back up he noticed that one person in particular was missing from the deck. "Where's Elsa?"

Halvard spoke up this time. He had been surprisingly quiet since Elsa had left. "The Odin is preparing to fire its mortars at us. We are immobilized so she decided to go over there and disable them."

"She decided?" Kristoff was dumbfounded. "Is she out of her mind?!"

"I tried to talk her out of it, but she's convinced that she is the only one who can stop Rasmus at this point." Halvard added.

Kristoff still couldn't believe it. It hardly seemed like something a queen would do. Risk her own life in order to save those of her subjects. All of the knowledge he had of the actions of Kings and Queens told him that it should be the opposite way: Men risking their lives for the queen. Then again, if there was one thing he had learned about his Queen/sister-in-law in these past few months, it was that she was no ordinary monarch. Her selflessness, much like Anna's, was part of what made her special.

"Maybe so... but... there's nothing we can do to help?" He asked Halvard, still wanting to believe that they could ensure Elsa's safe return somehow.

Halvard took a moment to respond. He was deeply pondering the entire situation in his mind over the past few minutes.

"_We_? No." He answered. "But... maybe there's something I can do. Something I _should_ do."

"What?" Eugene asked, puzzled by the Captain's comment.

Halvard's expression changed from one of defeat to one of determination.

"Princess Anna, please assume command. Make sure you keep trying to get the Boreas as far away as possible." He walked by her towards his sword and pistol which were lying on the deck near the ruins of the stairs that once led up to the ship's wheel.

"Wait, what?" Anna called out. "Where are _you_ going?"

"I'm going to help Elsa." Halvard answered simply. He attached the sword to his belt and put the pistol in his holster.

"But...But Elsa told you to stay here!" The princess stammered in response, confused as to what Halvard had planned.

"That's right. And I'm disobeying that command."

His words caused all of them to freeze. _Halvard_ was disobeying Elsa? He would follow her orders to the ends of the Earth. To hear him say that he was disobeying one of her commands was shocking to say the least.

Anna quickly figured he was doing this because he felt Elsa needed help with this crazy idea, a feeling she shared.

"Well if you are then I am too! I'm going with you!" She began to walk towards another sword that was lying on the deck. Before she could reach it, Halvard blocked her way.

"No. You cannot."

Anna was never one for ordering people around, but as Kristoff was fond of reminding her, she was feisty.

"If you're leaving me in charge then that decision is up to me..." She told Halvard with the most commanding tone she could manage, attempting to imitate what she had seen Elsa do countless times before.

But Halvard stood his ground. He knew the situation was dire and warranted a little disobedience if it was necessary.

"Your Highness... Anna, please. If I fail, and Elsa doesn't return, then Arendelle's future will be in your hands." He put his hands on both of her shoulders gently, and spoke with a kind tone. "I can't let something happen to _both_ of you. You need to be there... in case the worst occurs."

Knowing what he had in mind, Kristoff tried to support Halvard. Walking up to Anna, he attempted to convince her to stay, all the while putting on a brave face to cover up how much pain his ribs were in.

"He's right Anna. He can help Elsa better if he doesn't have to worry about protecting you at the same time."

Halvard withdrew his hands, allowing Kristoff to pull Anna into another embrace.

"Everyone keeps convincing me to stay here." She gave a sarcastic chuckle, admitting defeat again upon realizing that they were both right.

"That's because you're important, Princess." Said Halvard. He walked over to the railing and stood ready to depart the Boreas.

"Elsa is important too!" Anna called back.

Turning his head to look at Anna, Halvard gave her one last glance as he replied.

"I know. That's why I'm doing this."

Without further hesitation, Halvard jumped off the edge of the boat and dove into the water. He surfaced far from his point of Entry and began expertly swimming towards the Odin. Much like when he had swam to Elsa's rescue before, he was focused and determined to not let anyone get in his way. He would ensure the safety of his Queen at all costs.

* * *

Elsa had reached the Odin after her run over the water. She approached the ship from the stern and had entered through the same point she and Halvard had escaped from a few days prior, through Rasmus' meeting room. She had made a staircase to reach up to the windows and made quick work of the glass windows with a small blast of her magic.

Stepping inside the ship, she tried to remember the way to the main deck. She had been here twice before. Once through invitation, and once through kidnapping. Still, the Odin's corridors were like a maze and she found it difficult to find her way. Coming around a corner, she came face to face with three guards. They seemed as shocked to see her as she was but immediately began to raise their weapons towards her.

Fast as lightning, Elsa blasted the hands of all three men with ice. The impact launched the muskets form their grip and froze their arms in blocks of ice. A second blast encased their feet to the deck, making it impossible for them to follow her as she continued through the halls.

* * *

Rasmus was still standing on the main deck of his ship. He was staring at the Boreas out across the water, watching as it slowly limped backwards in a futile attempt to avoid the barrage of mortar fire that would soon descend upon them.

The deployment of the mortars was progressing slowly. The damage to the Odin made it difficult for the crewmen to hoist up the platform as quickly as it would normally take. The crew was at the stage where the guns were almost level with the deck. Once they were, the mortars could be rotated to aim at the Boreas.

* * *

After a long swim, Halvard had reached the Odin. Approaching from the side opposite of the one that was facing the Boreas, he climbed up the side of the hull, using holes blasted in it by the combat with the Boreas as grips for his ascent. He soon came to a damaged cannon port and climbed through it. A soldier was entering the room and spotted Halvard as he entered.

Wanting to eliminate the guard quickly but not wanting to cause a ship-wide alert, Halvard rushed forward with his sword drawn and nimbly sliced the sword across the man's hip while simultaneously putting his hand over his mouth to cover the following yell of pain. A forceful blow to the head knocked the soldier out as Halvard got up and used his knowledge of the Odin's interior layout to make his way to the main deck as quickly and quietly as possible.

* * *

The mortars were now cranked into position. The aim had been set for the Boreas, and the shells were lowered into the barrels. The firing crews were ready to ignite the slow burn fuse that was internally connected to all sixteen of the mortars. Suddenly, the wooden door that led to the cabins under the Odin's quarterdeck exploded into shards of splinters and ice.

Rasmus turned his head towards the remains of the door only to see Elsa walk out form amidst a cloud of frost, a deadly glare on her face and emitting trickles of snowflakes form her hands. A group of men to her left began to raise their muskets towards her. In response she effortlessly encased them all behind a wall of ice.

Standing beside the mortars near the man who was about to light the fuse, Rasmus signaled for other guards to move in on Elsa.

"Light the fuse!" He ordered the man near him.

Nodding towards the king and cautiously taking his gaze off of Elsa for a few moments, the crewman lit the fuse. The sparks traveled down the wire and into the iron housing that held the mortars, out of sight. It was now just a matter of waiting for the slow burning fuse to reach each mortar allowing them all to fire simultaneously.

Elsa was freezing another group of guards in place to her right when the crewman who had lit the fuse took out a pistol and shot towards her. She managed to dodge the shot and fired back at him with a burst of frost. It hit the man hard enough to send him backwards and stumbling into Rasmus who was now walking to stand in-between the Mortars and Elsa. Rasmus pushed the man aside so violently that he stumbled off the edge of the ship and into the water.

Elsa began slowly walking towards Rasmus. She got only a few steps forward when a soldier came bursting through the broken doorway behind her and tackled her to the ground. She and the man rolled across the deck, struggling with each other. Fortunately, Elsa was able to freeze the man's arms on contact while he was attempting to reach for a dagger in his belt.

Stumbling to her feet again, she saw that Rasmus was now very close to her and was the only person left conscious on the deck.

"Well, well, well." He began. "Here I was, thinking that I would lose all hope of getting the rest of your powers when I fired on the Boreas, subsequently killing you, and now here you are... willingly aboard my vessel, all on your own." He clapped his hands together and put a smirk on his face. "How perfect for me."

She looked at him for only a moment, then threw her gaze over to the mortars in the middle of the ship. She made a quick dash for them, attempting to avoid Rasmus. As she ran, he was barely able to grab the back of her outfit, yanking her to a stop and then pulling her backwards where she stumbled to the deck again.

Rolling across her back and then standing up again immediately, Elsa noticed Rasmus was trying to prevent her from getting to her target.

"You can't stop them, you know." Rasmus told her. "They've already been lit. The fuse can't be put out."

That fact didn't matter to her. She had no intention of putting the fuse out. Her goal was to turn the mortars against Rasmus' own ship, to fire back on itself. All she needed to gain access to was the crank that adjusted the mortar's angle. However, she was now working against the clock. The shells could be fired at any moment and she needed to hurry up if the Boreas were to be saved.

She shot a blast of ice at Rasmus. He managed to dodge the blast but she followed up with an immediate second strike. This one hit him in the arm, causing him to flinch from the impact. The King looked down at the mass of ice clinging his entire left arm, but to Elsa's shock, he didn't look as though he were in pain. Seconds later, the ice was dissolved and Rasmus looked at her with a sinister grin.

"Interesting." He began. "It looks like you'll have to come up with another way of immobilizing me." He held his hand out in front of him, and summoning the powers within him, he created a sword out of ice and held it in a battle stance. "Perhaps a more traditional method?"

Elsa looked at him in terror. She had expected to be able to fight him with blasts of her magic, but it was clear now that having the same power within himself made him immune to it. Elsa was not much of a sword fighter, but considering her only way of defeating Rasmus was to use implements that could _cut_ rather than _freeze_, she had little choice. Mimicking Rasmus' actions, she created an ice sword of her own and pointed it at the King.

"Excellent." He exclaimed in a taunting tone. "This should prove most enjoyable."

Trembling and fearing that her bold plan was deteriorating, Elsa looked over her shoulder towards the Boreas which was still uncomfortably close to the Odin. There was no way they would survive if the mortars went off at that distance. In front of her, Rasmus stood proudly, with the dark blue sword of ice being held menacingly towards her face.

This was the critical moment. The moment where everything would either work out alright in the end, or fall apart. It was the final play, and Elsa couldn't help but feel cornered.

_Checkmate. _

* * *

**A/N:** This is it! The BIG clash is next!

A big thanks to everyone who has stuck with the story so far. Hopefully you'll enjoy the upcoming finale!


	31. Chapter 31 - The Sacrifice

Chapter 31 - The Sacrifice

Rasmus did not waste any time posturing, and instantly swung out at Elsa with a wide swipe towards her stomach. She jumped backwards to avoid the swipe as Rasmus took another step forward. Swinging again, he came within inches of slicing her. He could tell that she was at a disadvantage in this hand-to-hand combat that they were now engaged in.

Narrowly dodging yet another strike, Elsa rolled to her left in order to avoid the attack. Rasmus swung again, and this time Elsa had to try and block the blow with her own ice sword. The impact was harsh, and it sent vibrations down her arms, but both swords stayed intact. They had each been made with the strongest and sharpest ice they could each manage to create, making for excellent weapons.

As Rasmus released from the clash, Elsa flung her wrist towards the deck underneath her opponent, hoping to still be able to use her powers in some degree during this fight. The magic hit the wooden planks and created a patch of ice beneath Rasmus.

"Clever girl." Rasmus taunted. He slipped slightly where he stood, allowing Elsa to stand up once more and head towards the mortars again.

She had barely made it two steps when a blast of ice form Rasmus impacted her hand that had been holding the sword. It was sent flying out of her grip and across the deck, far from where she was. Turning in shock, Elsa didn't have time to create another sword before Rasmus was lunging at her with his own weapon.

The queen retaliated with a quick blast that hit him on the right leg. It did not cause him harm, but the impact was enough to make him stumble, allowing Elsa to grab both of his wrists in her hands as he fell into her.

They were now locked in one another's grip. Each of them fighting for control of the one sword that was in Rasmus' hands. Being stronger, the Southern Isles King was able to shove Elsa backwards in the grapple, pushing her against one of the mortars.

"You're crazy if you think I'm letting you go again." Rasmus grunted as they struggled. "The rest of your power is as good as mine!"

Elsa was having difficulty holding off against the King. He was clearly more muscular than her and was winning the battle for his sword.

"You don't have the Ice Stone anymore." She replied through gritted teeth. "How do you expect to get the rest of my magic?"

"I found one Ice stone. I can keep you locked up for years if I have to... until I find another one."

Elsa had no intention of becoming Rasmus' prisoner again. Especially not for what could potentially be _years_. With her back still pushed against one of the Odin's mortars, she put every ounce of her strength into slipping out from under Rasmus, rotating herself and causing the sword to violently impact the side of the mortar. Rasmus' weight came down awkwardly on the sword, causing it to shatter in his hands. Elsa quickly put some distance in-between the two of them, knowing she would undoubtedly lose a contest of physical strength.

They both stared at each other, sparks of anger flying between the two. Elsa figured her advantage was in ranged attacks with her magic. Despite Rasmus being immune to the cold like she was, it was obvious that blunt force impacts could still harm him. Ending the stare-down, she raised her hands and shot at him with a powerful and continuous blast of ice. Rasmus raised his hands at the same time, also emitting a stream of ice. The two torrents of magic met in the middle, colliding and coalescing into a rapidly growing mound on the deck.

The resulting impact shook the ship. It did not take long for the mass of frozen water to become so large that neither of them could see one another across it. They both stopped their attacks which were getting them nowhere, and Elsa was relieved when she did. After using her powers to clear the fog, ram the Odin, cross the water, and now engage in one-on-one combat with Rasmus, she was incredibly fatigued. Her only comfort was that Rasmus was likely just as tired as she was.

Stepping around the ice block, Rasmus faced Elsa once more, still standing in-between her and the mortars. Using his powers again, he created another weapon in his hands. This time it was a small but very nasty looking dagger. A hideous scowl grew on Rasmus' face as he expertly flipped the dagger around in mid air and caught it so that he was holding it back-hand.

Elsa's back was up against the wall that led into the cabins under the quarterdeck. She had nowhere else to run from the enraged man who was slowly approaching her, hand held up near his head, ready to stab into her with the sharp dagger of ice.

Only a few feet from her now, Rasmus made his move and dashed forward with the dagger in the air. Almost instinctively, Elsa raised her hands towards Rasmus, summoning a giant icicle to protrude from the wall behind her, underneath her right arm. It grew so fast that Rasmus didn't have time to react as he carried himself forward and was impaled directly in the middle of his stomach.

The look on Rasmus' face was one that Elsa had never seen on him before. A combination of surprise, embarrassment, anger, and pain. Rasmus remained standing with the ice sticking through him completely and poking out his back, the once ice-blue tip now red with blood. Looking down towards his stomach slowly, Rasmus dropped the knife from his hands.

Elsa was still standing where she had been as well. Much like Rasmus, she was frozen in place from shock. She slowly clenched her fingers and pulled her arms back towards her body again, not taking her eyes off Rasmus'. The King merely stared back at her, and after a few seconds, to Elsa's horror, he began to slowly freeze over, starting from the icicle's point of impact.

Elsa's mind wasn't functioning correctly at this point. She still couldn't completely take in what had just happened and what was continuing to happen.

Rasmus continued to turn more and more into solid ice. Clenching his mid section, he tried to force the ice back down to prevent it's spread, but he was unable. Not enough fight left in him to stop the inevitable. Resigning himself, he looked back up to the Queen, removing his hands form his own stomach and putting them up around Elsa's neck.

"Heh, heh..." He chuckled. He didn't try to choke her, he was too weak. I took all his strength to utter a few words.

"Well... now what you said before really has come true." He was very close to her. Close enough that she could see the blood beginning to trickle out of his mouth as he spoke.

"We aren't so different after all."He went on, struggling to pronounce each syllable. His body was now frozen down to his knees and half way up his chest. "Despite all your protests, you're just like me... a killer."

Even through her shock, those words hit Elsa hard. Her eyes grew slightly wider and she started shaking even more than she had been before. She still couldn't get her mind to form words though. Rasmus, however, was able to provide one last taunt.

"I'm glad I could be here to see the look on your face... when you realized that."

And with that, he exhaled one final breath just before his head was transformed into solid ice. The hands around Elsa's neck became limp and fell from their grip slightly before they too were turned into the shiny blue solid.

In his last few moments, Elsa could see the life being drained from him, and something caused her to become numb to all other sensation. It played out in front of her all to similarly to the nightmares she had experienced for years ever since the accident with Anna when she was eight. Watching the death of someone who had met their end because of her powers. But it was real this time. She had taken a life. The conversation she had with Anna came into her mind almost immediately, and the promise she had made to her sister was now broken. She had become exactly what she tried to convince Anna she was not.

_A killer_.

Nine months ago, when Elsa had watched Anna freeze solid out on the fjord, she thought that right then and there she had killed someone. _Killed her own sister, of all people!_ Fortunately, their love for each other had saved her. If it wasn't for that, Elsa would never have been able to forgive herself. Even though Anna had tried to convince her several times that she was never _truly dead_, the memory still greatly disturbed Elsa.

But now there was no avoiding it. No excuse. She had killed someone, and they were not coming back.

All across the deck was silent. Elsa was barely able to register anything that was going on around her, and did not notice Halvard stepping out of the shattered remains of the door that Elsa had blasted a few minutes ago.

Halvard spotted the mortars, unguarded and still aiming at the Boreas. Turning to his right, he saw Elsa, motionless and standing behind the body of Rasmus who was now a frozen statue and impaled on a bloody protrusion of ice. Walking up to her, he pulled her aside slightly so that she was facing him. He was relieved to see that she was not badly hurt in any way.

Her mind slowly beginning to function again as she stared into the Captain's eyes.

"Halvard?" She mumbled, questioning how he could be here.

He didn't respond and swiftly picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder. He walked as quickly as he could towards the railing of the ship.

"Halvard? What are you doing?" Elsa asked. Her speech now substantially more coherent.

Without giving her further time to question his actions, Halvard reached the edge of the ship and promptly threw her into the water over the edge. He looked down to see her splash into the sea, thankfully avoiding hitting any wreckage as she did so.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to Elsa. She never would have been able to hear him, and he knew this, but it was something he felt the need to say anyway.

Knowing that there was probably little time left, he ran over to the mortars to see what he could do about preventing them from firing. Right away, he noticed a lack of any external fuse but at he could hear the slow burning of one form the inside of the iron framework. There was no time for him to figure out how to gain access to it, so he resigned himself to his 'Plan B'.

Running over to the crank that directed the angle of the mortars, he began to furiously turn it so that the barrels were facing away from the Boreas and down towards the deck of the Odin itself. He had no idea how close the fuse was to setting off the shells, but he was relieved when he finally had the mortars angled in the appropriate direction for the Odin to destroy itself when they fired.

It had been less than two seconds after they were in place that the fuse had reached the powder chambers of all sixteen mortars. They fired simultaneously, some impacting the deck, some impacting other mortars, but all of them releasing their payload and causing the shells to detonate.

* * *

From the Boreas, Anna, Kristoff, Rapunzel, Eugene, and the entire crew were all looking in the direction of the Odin when they were startled by the massive explosion that suddenly erupted on the ship. A multitude of splinters, and twisted metal burst out from the location of the Southern Isles warship, accompanied by a fireball that began to waft up in the air. A powerful shockwave was sent flying across the water and was enough to make the Boreas shake slightly even though it was now at a moderate distance from the source.

They were all stunned, with mouths open and eyes wide. After the debris had landed back into the water, it was clear that the Odin had been completely destroyed. There was nothing of any substantial size left whatsoever.

Anna was in shock as she watched the sight. The horrors of what this meant began to slowly sink in as she continued to watch the smoke dissipate into the sky.

"Elsa..." She whispered. "...Halvard... ELSA!" She was yelling now, and a torrent of tears began to flow from her eyes.

She felt weak in her legs and would have collapsed if Kristoff was not standing right beside her to hold her up. He instantly flung his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace.

"ELSA, NO! No..." She continued to weep into Kristoff's chest. He looked up to see Rapunzel and Eugene standing next to each other as well. Tears were in Rapunzel's eyes and she held tightly onto Eugene's arm as she watched Anna crying. Eugene stood there with an expression of disbelief on his face.

Kristoff felt the same way. He had a hard time fathoming that fact that they had just lost both Halvard _and_ Elsa! The head of the Arendelle navy _and the Queen herself_. But what bothered him more was that he had lost a close friend, and a family member.

_I'm proud to be able to consider you part of my family_.

Elsa's words at his wedding resounded in his mind again. He had felt the same way, and now regretted never telling her that. However, as bad as he felt, he knew Anna must have been feeling infinitely worse. She had lost her sister, _her best friend,_ and less than a year after really getting her back again.

After a few minutes, one of the Boreas' men, a lieutenant, second in command of the ship after Halvard, walked up to Anna and Kristoff.

"Your Highness... I'm sorry to have to ask you this... but, what are your orders?"

The gravity of the question hit Anna hard. It was not because she didn't like giving out orders, which was true, it was because that had always been Elsa's job. Even when Anna did have to make decisions and tell people what to do, she always had Elsa who could support her if she was on the right path, or correct her if she was making a mistake. Now, she had no one in that position. _She_ was in charge.

Her need to respond to the lieutenant's question was removed when another crewman called out to him.

"Sir, a ship is approaching. It's the Arcadia."

Having been repaired enough to make maneuvers, the Arcadia was slowly approaching the Boreas. It came to rest close off their port side. A moment later, Prince Stefan appeared at the railing of his ship and called over to the Arendellian ship.

"Queen Elsa?" He asked, clearly unaware that she had headed over to the Odin.

Many eyes on the deck turned to look at Anna. They all had compassion for her in her current situation. Anna did not want to at all, but she knew it was her responsibility to answer the Prince's call. She stepped forward gingerly, leaving Kristoff's arms and approaching the railing so that she could talk to Stefan.

"I'm... Elsa is..." She began, her voice was unsteady and quiet, barely audible to the Prince. "She's gone."

Hearing the response, and seeing the expression on the Princess' face as she talked to him, Stefan knew right away what she meant.

"Oh... I am truly sorry, Princess." He told her, trying to sound as genuinely apologetic as he could. It was easy since he was honestly saddened over the loss of the Queen.

"I just wanted to tell you that we are prepared to send over any medical supplies and repair personnel that you require. We will also conduct a search for any survivors still out in the water."

"...Thank you." Anna replied quietly, and with none of the usual emotion that was always present in her speech.

"You've earned a friend in the Southern Isles today, Your Highness. Hopefully, the first of many." Stefan slowly turned back towards the deck of his ship, getting ready to send his men over to the Boreas.

Anna turned around as well. The lieutenant was waiting patiently for her orders regarding Stefan's proposal. Without looking up at him, she tried her best to make the decision she thought Elsa would have made.

"...Get ready to receive them." Her eyes never lifted up from staring aimlessly at the deck as she spoke. "I don't know... how to do this... Just let them come aboard." She knew there was some kind of proper procedure for greeting another kingdom's prince aboard a ship, but details like that were never her responsibility to know.

"We'll take care of it Your Highness." He replied. Confirmation was all the lieutenant needed. He wanted to spare Anna from having to deal with any more of the ship's business in her current state of mind.

The crewmen began to prepare for the arrival of men from the Arcadia. Anna walked back into the arms of Kristoff and stood there in the middle of the deck, quietly. All around them, the bustling of repairs and recovery began to take place.

Even surrounded by people, even in the arms of the man she loved, Anna had never felt more alone than she did at that moment.

* * *

**A/N:** *hides in corner form the torrent of angry readers*

Well... that happened. Hopefully the final fight with Rasmus was to everyone's liking. And hopefully you don't hate me too much after the ending to this chapter.

Reviews are appreciated! It's not quite over yet!


	32. Chapter 32 - Memories

Chapter 32 - Memories

_April 13th, 1794_

The Boreas and the Arcadia were heading back to Arendelle as fast as they could manage. Both ships were heavily damaged, so _fast_ was a very relative term for them at the moment. At the speed they were going, it would still take another two full days to return to friendly waters.

It had been almost a day since the battle with the Odin. After the Arcadia had sent support personnel over to the Boreas as per Prince Stefan's orders, they began to search the waters for any sign of survivors. Wreckage from all four ships that had been involved in the combat was strewn across the vast expanse of the sea. Much of what was left of the Odin had sunk to the bottom due to its iron lining, but navy blue and black pieces of wood were still littered amongst the growing waves.

Hours had passed, and eventually the Boreas began to limp about the area in order to help speed up the search. Anna was desperately clinging to the hope of them pulling Elsa and Halvard from the water at some point. She insisted they stay for longer and longer to ensure a thorough search, but as the Ålborg fog began to roll in again as the sun was setting, even she realized that there was no point in staying any further.

Reluctantly ordering the lieutenant to set a course back to Arendelle, she gave up on the search, and with it gave up on ever seeing Elsa again.

Now, her, Kristoff, Rapunzel, and Eugene were all gathered in the situation room of the Boreas where they had met with Elsa and Halvard twice during their voyage. They stood away from the table, dreading the sight of those two empty chairs that would remind them all too well of what they had lost.

All four of them were holding glasses of wine as they began a private little service for the Captain and Queen. A proper funeral that would likely draw the attendance of everyone in Arendelle would be held once they got home, but as of now they all felt the need to hold something small in the mean time. Anna rarely ever drank alcohol, but she did on special occasions. And a memorial for her sister was most definitely a special occasion, even though it was a sad one.

"To... absent friends..." Said Anna quietly as she raised her glass for a toast. "...and Family."

Everyone quietly raised their own glasses in response and took a drink of the highly expensive white wine that had miraculously stayed intact in the Boreas' cargo hold during the course of the battle.

Lowering her drink, Rapunzel couldn't help but break down, and began sobbing into Eugene's side as he held her. Anna would surely have joined her, but she had already spent all night crying herself to sleep and could not bring herself to shed any more tears. She just stared blankly at a spot on the floor, listening to the quiet sobs come from in front of her.

Feeling the need to speak a few words and hopefully lighten the mood a bit, if such a thing were possible at a memorial service, Eugene took one more sip of wine before he began a short speech.

"You know, the first time I met Elsa was at her coronation ball nine months ago."

Rapunzel quieted her crying slightly as to hear what her husband was saying.

"It was at the party that took place following her crowning. I was helping myself to some chocolate and a glass of wine from the refreshments table when I rather quickly turned around and bumped right into her." A fond smile crept onto his face as he recalled the memory. "I dropped the chocolate and the wine went everywhere. Fortunately only a few small drops landed on Elsa's clothes, which were dark so they hid the stain anyway, but my own got covered in quite a lot more of the red liquid."

Kristoff was now looking at Eugene as he spoke. Surprisingly, he had never heard this story before. Anna continued to stare at the floor, devoid of all emotion.

"I was half expecting to be thrown out of the kingdom immediately." Continued Eugene. "Here I was, on my first trip to another kingdom as a Prince of Corona, and I spill wine all over the new queen." He let out a single chuckle and continued. "You can imagine my surprise when, Elsa not only laughed the event off, but offered me the use of a private bathroom to clean myself up."

He tried his best to prevent from tearing up as he remembered the event. It was difficult, but he managed to get out the conclusion of the tale.

"After she offered that and assured me she was not angry, she said; '_Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. If you can't learn to look past them, then you won't be able to _live_ past them'._" He gave Rapunzel a tight squeeze. "Words of wisdom. And I haven't forgotten them."

Those words caused Anna to look up. She found strange irony in Elsa's advice to Eugene. Before the events of her coronation, she never seemed to be able to look past the events that took place when they were both children, when Elsa had accidentally struck Anna's head with magic. Because of that, she was never able to live past the event. Yet there she was, giving advice to Eugene that she should have taken to heart herself.

Anna certainly wasn't mad at Elsa for that. If anything her love for her sister was deepened even further by the knowledge that Elsa was willing to go against her own ideals in order to protect her. And knowing this gave Anna even more confirmation of just how much Elsa loved her as well. It was a love that had saved them once in the past. Unfortunately, it was unable to save them both this time.

* * *

It was evening, and Anna was sifting through the destroyed remains of her and Kristoff's cabin. The room, along with all other cabins on this deck, was in total ruins. Massive holes were present along the walls, interior bulkheads were toppled and completely missing, and the door had been obliterated, leaving the debris filled hallway visible without the elegant separation which had once been present before the Odin's cannons had destroyed it.

She had brought almost all of her clothes with her on this trip, as a result, almost all of her clothes were now destroyed. The job of going through what could be salvaged and what had to be thrown out was a long one, but it took her mind off of Halvard and Elsa.

At least, that was her intention when she started this. Despite that, almost every article of clothing she picked up reminded her of Elsa in some way. From the tattered remains of the green and black dress she had been wearing at Elsa's coronation, to the boot, which was missing its pair, that she purchased at Oaken's trading post when she went to find her sister up the North Mountain.

Everything she came across had a story behind it, and those stories filled her with fond memories, even if they were from before the two of them had been re-united. Anna realized that going back to talking to Elsa's door would be infinitely better than this. Even then she knew Elsa was at least listening to her, but now, if she were to talk to that same door again, she would always know that no one would be behind it to hear her.

Quietly walking over debris and through the gaping hole in the wall that used to be the location of a door, Kristoff joined Anna in their former cabin. He gave her a quick glance but did not say anything to her at first. Instead he walked over to his side of the tattered bed to observe the remains of his own belongings. He had already taken what was not destroyed back to their new cabin which was in a less damaged part of the ship.

"Yeah, my stuff was in shambles too." He told her as she stood holding a ripped dress in one hand and a single boot in the other. "Fortunately I had at least one pair of clean underwear left that weren't ruined, so I'll be good for a while."

Ordinarily, Kristoff would have expected Anna to laugh out loud at such a comment. For the moment, however, he was glad to at least notice her give him the slightest amused huff of air instead. After all, it was better than no reaction whatsoever.

"You know, I was thinking..." Kristoff continued, trying to fill the awkward silence with conversation. "When we get back, and when we have the opportunity, I was thinking we could have our honeymoon up at the Ice Palace after all."

Anna seemed to react to the comment slightly, so Kristoff continued.

"I know we told Rapunzel and Eugene we would have it in Corona, but I'm sure Arendelle's council would prefer we stay close by for the time being." He took a gulp as he pondered his next line. "I'm sure it would be... what Elsa would have wanted as well."

Anna _still_ remained quiet.

"Not that we have to think about that at this point... if you don't want to." Fearing it may have been too early to bring up honeymoon plans again, Kristoff attempted to explain himself. "I just thought that getting away from it all might help a bit. Besides, I'm sure she wouldn't want us to dwell on sad things forever. She would want us to go on being happy."

After a brief pause, Anna finally opened her mouth.

"'Happy'?" She said flatly, staring off at nothing in particular. "I don't think I even know what 'happy' is anymore."

Kristoff was surprised to hear that. It was so very much unlike the person he had known Anna to be all of this time. The person he had married.

"Anna, don't say that. You..."

"But it's true." She exclaimed, cutting him off and looking up at him now. "Ever since we came across that stupid icy island a bunch of days ago... Things have taken one bad turn after another!"

She threw the dress and boot to the side and into a growing pile of clothing that would have to be thrown out. Kristoff remained quiet, stunned by her outburst.

"Hmph, who am I kidding." She went on, now in a quieter tone that suggested utter defeat. "Ever since I was little things have kept taking one bad turn after another. First Elsa and I are separated, then both my parents die, and then just a few months after Elsa and I reconnect, right when things start to look up again... she dies too."

The final words came out more like sobs as Anna collapsed to her knees. Kristoff ran over to comfort her in the only way he figured he could right now and held her in an embrace.

"Anna, shhh shhh. It's okay." He cooed, trying to calm her as she sobbed into his chest. "Remember what Elsa told Eugene. _'Sometimes, bad things happen to good people'_. Unfortunately, that's life."

Anna sniffed into his arms as she rotated her head to a different position under his chin. Her eyes were watery and unfocused as she listened to Kristoff go on.

"You can't escape the bad things, but you also can't let them overshadow the _good _things." He paused only for a moment to let that sink into Anna's mind. "You told me several times before that you have never been happier than you were in the past several months. Isn't that right?"

"Yeah." Anna's reply was quiet and shaky, barely audible above the sound of the waves coming through the open holes in the outside walls.

"And I know for a fact that Elsa felt the same way. Because she told me herself." Kristoff added.

"She did?"

"Yep." He replied, giving her a little squeeze. "And I would hope that... time we spent together... were happy times for you as well?"

Anna quickly sat up so that she could face Kristoff, her sadness now replaced with concern.

"Oh, of course Kristoff! I didn't... I didn't mean to suggest that you _don't _make me happy. 'Cause you do!"

Smiling and giving her a quick kiss, Kristoff pulled her back into a hug.

"There, you see?" He told her. "If it wasn't for some of the bad things that happened, we never would have met. So some good came of it."

Anna could appreciate what Kristoff was trying go do, but it was still difficult for her to see any hint of happiness to surface through the current dark times. Not any time soon at least.

"But what good can possibly come from this?" She asked him.

"I don't know." He replied, honestly. "It can take a lot of time before we are always able to see how the bad things can end up leading to good things. And sometimes, it doesn't happen at all."

He pulled her out again so that he could look in her eyes.

"But no matter what happens in the coming days, months, or years, never forget that I will always be here with you to see you through them." He held Anna's gaze tightly as she held his back. "This, I promise."

Anna was struck speechless again, something that had been happening to her a lot recently. As she looked into the eyes of Kristoff in front of her, filled with nothing but love and understanding, everything he had been saying was starting to really sink in. And he was right. Elsa would have wanted both of them to go on being happy, to not fret endlessly over what was or what could have been. To look past the bad times, and remember the good ones.

She would, of course, miss Elsa with all of her heart, but keeping the good memories alive, and creating new ones with Kristoff in the future, would be the best way to honor her sister.

And that's what she intended to do.

* * *

On a nameless beach of an unknown island, debris from a nearby naval battle was washing up on the shore. Bits of wood, sections of rope, pieces of fabric, and the occasional body were beginning to litter the coast as the gentle waves brought them ashore.

Attached to one particularly large piece of debris was the body of a woman. The collar and left sleeve of her expensive clothes were tangled up in the jagged edges of the flotsam, leaving her head and the majority of her torso above the water. Coming to a rest on the sandy beach, the woman lay motionless, sand beginning to get rubbed into her platinum blonde hair.

All around her was quiet, with only the sound of the surf providing a constant rhythm. No other life was anywhere around her as she lay unconscious from her injuries.

Unconscious, but not dead.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

**A/N:** And that's the end... of part 1! That's right, I'm making this a multi-part story. It will most likely end up being a trilogy, so part 2 of 3 is next!

I'd like to thank everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! I'm glad you have enjoyed it so far and I hope the ending gets you excited for what's to come! I was planning to put a giant authors note here at the end of this last chapter with a bunch of info on the origins of the story's idea and so on, but I think now I might wait until all three parts are done before I do that.

The next part in the trilogy will be titled _Reconnection._ It **might** be its own separate story under my profile, but I also might just add it directly on to this story. I haven't decided yet. I'm not sure when the first chapter of the next part will go up, but hopefully not too far from now.

Thanks again, and don't forget to review!

**EDIT:** So thanks to input form a few of the followers, I have decided to include the other two parts of the story within this one instead of making 3 separate stories. They all continue on with the same overall story arc, so it makes more sense to keep them together.

Get ready for part 2!


	33. Chapter 1 - Flashbacks

**A/N:** This is the beginning of part 2 of the story arc. There will be a different antagonist, a different set of problems, and a different adventure on the way for our heroes, but the story picks up right where _Retribution_ left off.

So without further delay, enjoy _Reconnection!_

* * *

**_Part 2 - Reconnection_**

Chapter 1 - Flashbacks

_Elsa stood on the deck of the Odin, facing down Rasmus in the confrontation that would decide the fate of all those helplessly aboard the Boreas, and all those back in Arendelle who were blissfully unaware of the plans that were in motion against them. If Elsa lost this fight, everyone in Arendelle would die. The stakes were insurmountably high. _

_Off to the side of the deck where Rasmus and Elsa were fighting, Captain Halvard was fending off hordes of Southern Isles soldiers, all attempting to kill him and re-capture the Queen. He was trying desperately to reach the mortars in the middle of the deck, hoping he could somehow stop them from firing on the Boreas, or perhaps even cause them to fire back onto the Odin itself. But being surrounded by attackers, he was having difficulty reaching his target._

_Elsa and Rasmus were still locked in combat. Rasmus swung his sword at the Queen, narrowly missing her mid-section as Elsa jumped backwards in time. He followed up with a blast of ice that struck her in the arm. _

_"Ahh!" She yelped. Stunned but still able to fight, Elsa returned the blast with a stream of frost directed at Rasmus' face. The King nimbly ducked below the blast and was able to dodge a follow-up strike that Elsa flung in his direction. _

_Distracted by the sight of his Queen in peril, Halvard made a curtail mistake and his hand was nicked by the sword of an opponent. The strike sent his own sword tumbling from his hands and he quickly found himself dog-piled by half a dozen men and was pinned to the deck. _

_"Aarrrg! Elsa!" _

_He shouted her name as he watched Rasmus prepare for another attack, unfortunately his sight of the duel was quickly cut short as one of the men pinning him down kicked him sharply in the side of the head, knocking him out cold._

_"Halvard!" Elsa yelled back. She was desperate to reach the Captain after seeing him lying face down on the deck and surrounded by men who were likely about to kill him. In an attempt to try and separate herself from Rasmus, she swung her arms wide and created a semi-circle of sharp icicles around her and blocking off her opponent._

_Despite the barrier, before she could even take a step over to Halvard, Rasmus came bursting through the ice spikes with a swing of his sword. Closing the distance to Elsa in a flash, he stabbed his weapon forward and impaled the startled Queen directly in the stomach. The impact was so forceful that the tip of the blade was sticking completely through her and out of the clothes on her back._

_"NOOOOO!" A shriek cried out across the deck. It did not come from anyone present in the fight, rather form a new observer._

_She watched the scene unfold in front of her. Halvard unconscious on the ground, Rasmus sneering at her while still holding the blade, and Elsa slowly slouching down more and more as the clothes around the entry points of the wound began to gradually turn red._

_The ocean in the distance began to fade to black, and all sounds became muffled. Just as Rasmus pulled the sword out of his victim and let Elsa's lifeless body slump to the deck, a massive explosion originating near the mortars expanded outward in a split second and engulfed the stunned observer._

And with that, Anna awoke with a scream.

"ELSA!"

Startled upon being woken up so suddenly, Kristoff turned in the bed to look over at Anna who was now sitting upright with both her hands clenched tight to her chest.

"Anna! Are you alright?" He asked. He could notice her heavy breathing and saw that she was covered in a cold sweat.

Leaning back down slowly, Anna regained her composure and snuggled closer to Kristoff in an attempt to further calm her nerves.

"Yeah... I'm fine." She told him. "Just a dream."

* * *

_April 14th, 1794_

The Boreas and Arcadia were still heading back towards Arendelle at their best speed. It had been two days since the battle with the Odin and a number of repairs had been made to the vessels during the travel time. It helped the crew keep their minds off the losses they had all suffered so recently.

Anna was undoubtedly suffering the most out of everyone. She had been having nightmares ever since the battle, most of which involved watching Halvard and Elsa die while onboard the Odin. In reality, she had no idea exactly what happened immediately before the explosion, and thus she did not know how her sister had died, but her imagination filled in the unknown parts with images so frightening that she had been finding it difficult to tell Kristoff about them.

The pain was still too fresh.

Walking by crewmen who were bustling about the deck, still fixing parts of the ship's battle damage, Anna made her way up to the front of the ship. When she got there, she could see Rapunzel, sitting out on the bowsprit, just like they had both been doing the one day before they came across that ice island.

_That STUPID island!_ Anna thought to herself. _That island that started all of this!_

She turned to look at the bench that was resting up against the front of the ship's foremast. The bench that Elsa sat on when she was out on the bowsprit with Rapunzel. The bench she and Elsa cuddled on just before the battle started.

Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. Once again, simply looking at inanimate objects was bringing back memories of Elsa. Anna shook her head and tried to focus on less painful things.

As she reached the very front of the ship's railing and sat down to hang her legs out and over the bow of the ship, Rapunzel heard the sounds behind her and turned to face Anna.

"Hey." She said softly, with a warm smile on her face.

"Hey." Replied Anna. It wasn't a reply completely without emotion, but considering Anna's usual energy level, this reply was practically dead.

Rapunzel was somewhat afraid to ask the question, but she felt it was better than staying completely silent or awkwardly avoiding the topic altogether.

"So... how are you doing?" She timidly asked Anna.

The redhead made a slight grimace, but replied relatively quickly.

"Alright I suppose... As well as can be expected anyway."

Rapunzel got up and nimbly walked across the bowsprit back towards the deck, and crawled onto the edge to sit beside Anna.

"I know you miss her. I miss her too." She said as she put a hand on Anna's shoulder. "I know you're probably tired of people telling you 'It will be okay', and hearing it from everyone right now is probably just making you feel worse."

She looked in Rapunzel's eyes and gave a slight nod with a sad smile on her face. Almost every member of the Boreas' crew had said those lines to her by now. It _was_ starting to get annoying, especially since she didn't see how everything was possibly going to _be okay_ ever again.

"And that's why I'm not even going to say it." Rapunzel continued. "All I'm going to say is that: I'm here for you. Eugene's here for you. And Kristoff, of course, is here for you as well. Eugene and I will stay extra time in Arendelle as long as you need the support."

The sad smile on Anna's face slowly grew into one of friendship as she took in the words of her fellow princess.

"Okay?" The brunette asked.

"Okay." Anna replied. "Thank you." She leaned in and gave her a hug and Rapunzel returned the embrace. Ever since the events of the coronation, the two had become the closest of friends. And at the moment, Anna felt that she needed all the friends she could get to help her through what was likely to come in the next few days.

Just as they were about to break the hug, Lieutenant Nikolaus, the man who took command after Halvard had been lost, walked up to the girls to provide the princess with a status report.

"Princess Anna," He began, giving a slight bow. "I'm sorry to disturb you but I thought you'd might like an update on our current situation."

Turning to look up at the lieutenant, Anna began to scramble to her feet so that she could have a proper conversation. It was, after all, the correct way for a princess to talk to the commander of a ship. _Right?_

"It's alright, lieutenant... Nikolaus, isn't it?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Sorry." Anna said sheepishly. "I'm still trying to remember everyone's names."

"It's alright. I'm certainly not offended." Nikolaus replied with a slight chuckle in his voice. "I just wanted to tell you that we're on schedule. We should be back in Arendelle by tomorrow morning."

She didn't respond to the information right away. The thought of being back in Arendelle was bringing up conflicting emotions within her. On one hand, she desperately wanted to be back in the safety of her home, especially after the horrors of the battle they had just been through. But on the other hand, being back in Arendelle meant the opening of a door to a whole new set of challenges. Explaining to the council what had happened, dealing with the political issues that would stem from recent events, and worst of all... having to take Elsa's place as ruler of Arendelle.

It was inevitable. Being the next in line, and the _only_ other one in line, Anna would become the Queen. Granted, she had only just turned nineteen and wouldn't have to officially take the throne for another two years, but that didn't change the fact that it would still happen eventually. Elsa had always been the one who was pruned for the position of 'ruler'. Anna, on the other hand, had never given it a second thought. She would rarely pay attention to her tutors in the matters of such things as 'queenly duties'. Looking back now, she regretted that, along with a multitude of other things.

"That's great." Anna finally replied, hoping to sound genuine in her response to Nikolaus.

Seemingly satisfied, he went on with what he planned to say.

"Repairs are also progressing nicely. We took significant damage but the Boreas held together admirably." He said as he looked around the deck.

"I'd say she did fairly well for her first fight, wouldn't you?" Rapunzel added, trying to get Anna engaged in the conversation.

"Yeah." She replied. "How long do you think it will take to fix it back up completely?"

"Well..." Nikolaus pondered as he considered the work that needed to be done on the Boreas once they were back in Arendelle. "I'd say about two weeks worth of repairs once we are back in port. We've taken care of most of the little things, but we still need a new mainmast, and we have a lot of holes to patch up."

Anna gave a slight chuckle of her own. "That's for sure." She was about to turn back to staring out over the bow of the ship when she noticed Nikolaus seemed like he had one other thought on his mind. "It there anything else you wanted to tell me?"

Hesitating for a moment, he replied.

"Only that we haven't sighted any other ships form Arendelle on our entire trip back. I would have assumed that we would run into at least one cargo or courier ship... but nothing at all."

"That's odd." Anna thought. Arendelle's port wasn't the largest one in the area. It was smaller than Corona's and certainly much smaller than that of the Southern Isles, but it still had a fairly constant stream of ships heading in and out of the harbor. To not see any when they were now less than a day away was strange... or so she had been told.

"Yes, it's unusual." The lieutenant replied. "I don't know... perhaps it's just a coincidence. Or maybe I'm being paranoid." He ended his comment with a smile on his face, showing Anna and Rapunzel that he really did believe that it was probably nothing to worry about.

"Still, thanks for letting me know, Nikolaus." Anna told him.

"Of course, Princess." He replied, giving a slight bow of his head. "I was just about to head down to the galley to get something to eat. If you'd both like to join me, you're more than welcome to."

"We'd love to!" Rapunzel replied in haste just as Anna began to open her mouth in protest. She then lowered her voice to whisper in Anna's ear. "You haven't been eating in the past few days. Don't think I haven't noticed."

Anna gave her a look out of the corner of her eye. She didn't argue the point, because she knew Rapunzel was right. She had been skipping meals recently. Whether it was her way of mourning or simply a result of stress and sadness on her typically voracious appetite, she did not know, but her grumbling stomach forced her to have to agree with her friend.

"Okay... yes. We'd love to join you." Anna replied, a small sad smile tugging at one corner of her mouth.

"Great!" Rapunzel shouted. "Kristoff and Eugene are probably already down there. We can meet them too."

"Very good." Said Nikolaus in response. He then turned towards the stairs that led down to the deck with the galley as the princesses followed close behind.

Before the three of them could get to the stairs, a young crewman, probably no older than sixteen or seventeen, walked up to them timidly.

"Princess Anna?" He asked.

She stopped and faced him, as did Rapunzel and Nikolaus, curious as to what he wanted. Before Anna could reply, he continued talking, clearly a bit nervous about addressing a member of the royal family.

"Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering... Do you think there will be any kind of ceremony when we return? ...for saving Arendelle, I mean."

Rapunzel and Nikolaus glanced at Anna, wondering how she would respond. They said nothing, as they both figured it would be appropriate for her to learn how to respond to any question that may be asked of her. Even in difficult times.

When Anna first heard the young man mention 'a ceremony' she immediately thought of the funeral that would likely be held for Elsa and Halvard in a few days. That thought made her cringe. It was just another reason why she was really not looking forward to returning home. When the boy clarified his meaning, it was obvious that he was referring to some kind of celebration for their success in keeping Arendelle safe from Rasmus' psychotic plans. In truth, she didn't know if that clarification calmed her, or depressed her even further.

"You mean, a hero's welcome? Something like that?" Anna replied. Her voice lowered and she began to look absently out across the water. "Well there certainly should be one... But the truth is, the real heroes are the ones who won't come home... the ones who will never come home."

Leaving the young crewman standing quietly on the deck and just a little bit embarrassed, Anna silently rejoined Rapunzel and Nikolaus and headed below deck. It wasn't her intention to call out the boy in front of his fellow crewmates, after all he was young and the question was genuine, but Anna couldn't help but feel a little sad at the idea of a party going on to celebrate Arendelle's survival when the very people who made that possible were no longer alive to enjoy the party themselves.

Perhaps it wasn't the attitude she should have, but when they returned home, she had no intentions of celebrating anything. She just couldn't.

* * *

**A/N:** Welcome back! The updates for _Reconnection_ may not be as frequent as they were for _Retribution_, but I promise the story will not be forgotten. I promise even more adventure and excitement in the coming chapters, but for now, Anna has to go through some difficult times... sorry.

As always, feel free to post a review! I love reading them and they encourage me to keep writing!


	34. Chapter 2 - Home

Chapter 2 - Home

It was midday and the sun was shining down heavily on the beach. The fog that occasionally concealed the remote island was not present at the time, having been blown off naturally by the winds. The debris, which had been gradually washing up on the beach for the past day and a half was slowly being buried on the shore as the motion of the waves churned the sand in the surf.

Still lying on the beach, with clothes tangled up in a large piece of wooden debris, Elsa was drifting in and out of consciousness. She had been on the brink of waking up for many hours now, but the concussion she had suffered when the Odin exploded right beside her was severe. Not bad enough to cause permanent damage or prevent her from healing on her own, but enough to keep her well out of it for the past forty-eight hours.

As one particularly large wave rolled up and splashed cold sea water up onto her face, she finally began to move out of the realm of sleep and into a state of awareness.

Letting out a soft moan and rolling her head slightly to the right, she slowly began to open her eyes. The bright light of the sun shining in her face made her cringe as her eyelids opened a crack. Still unaware of her surroundings for the time being, she waited a few more moments before trying to open her eyes once more and get ready to get up.

_I shouldn't be sleeping in so late,_ She thought to herself. _I'm surprised Kai hasn't come to wake me up yet._

Another splash of water from a wave sprayed her with droplets and she could feel the cool liquid washing up by her and back down towards the ocean. The unexpected sensation made her quickly realize that she was in fact not in her bed. She was not in the castle and Kai would not be waiting to wake her up.

Opening her eyes in a hurry she started to lean forward from her awkward position, partially on the beach and partially against the debris. Before she could sit up even a bit of the way, she was hit with a wave of pan in her head.

"Ooooow..." She moaned, bringing one of her hands up to press to her forehead. She immediately noticed that her collar and the sleeve of her other arm was tangled up in the splintered wood beside her. Taking a few moments to shake the remainders of sleep from her head, she reached over with her free arm and removed herself from the debris, ripping more holes in her expensive dress in the process.

Detached from the flotsam, which appeared to be a large piece of a ships' railing, she flopped down to lay flat on her back, exhausted from the tiny bit of motion she had just preformed.

Resting for a few more minutes, Elsa finally got the strength to lean up to a sitting position, her head aching as she did so. Looking around at the debris, she began to remember more of what had happened.

_The battle... The Odin... Explosion... and then, blackness?_

She went over it again in her mind. A massive explosion from the deck of the Odin was the last thing she remembered.

_How then did I end up on a beach._

"Am I dead?" She asked herself aloud, surprised at how dry and raspy her voice was.

_If this is the afterlife... I'm kinda unimpressed._

"Although something tells me if I were dead, I wouldn't be so thirsty." As she spoke the words, her stomach let out a growl, loud enough to be almost comical. "Or hungry."

It took her about five whole minutes for her to stand up on her own, by which time she had convinced herself that it wouldn't make sense for her to be in this much pain if she were dead. After all, dead people didn't feel pain, or need food and water. Did they?

Shaking her head of further distracting thoughts, Elsa began to walk inland from the sea. She was still finding it a bit difficult to focus, probably from the concussion, but she was well enough to remember that in any survival situation, when you are lost and without supplies, drinking water is the highest priority. Although she didn't know it, she had already gone without water for two days, meaning she could only last one more at most until she died of dehydration.

She looked down at her clothes as she headed towards an outcropping of rock that was a couple hundred feet from where she was. Her royal clothes were a disaster. She already knew that the collar and sleeve were ripped, but several other tears were present all over the garment, with some gashes being deep enough that they had scratched her skin underneath. They were mostly minor cuts and scrapes, but some of them still stung form the salt water and sand that were in them.

She had lost her shoes as well, which had likely come off from the impact of splashing into the water off the deck of the Odin. She was farther up from the water now and the dry sand was hot on her feet, making it difficult to walk. She figured she would have to make new clothes for herself, something appropriate for the environment. But that would have to come after she found water.

"Wait a minute..." She said to herself as she stopped dead in her tracks. Cupping her hands out in front of her, she focused her magic into creating a small mound of snow. It filled her hands and then she focused again to melt it. As the snow turned to a liquid, she brought it up to her face and started drinking.

"I must really be out of it..." She took another sip. "...not to think of this immediately."

She sat down again, cross legged and continued creating snow and melting it to drink. She started wondering if her younger self ever would have thought that her powers would end up saving her life over something as simple as lack of water one day. She gave a chuckle at the prospect.

_After all, the only thing I ever thought my powers could do was hurt people. Guess I was wro..._

Another memory came back to her. This one, painful as opposed to insightful. She remembered that the last time she had used her powers, she used them to fight Rasmus. More specifically, she had used them to _kill_ Rasmus.

Un-cupping her hands and tossing the snow in them aside as though she were disgusted with it, Elsa began to stare at her palms while her breathing became more and more unsteady.

She remembered it all now. Fighting Rasmus, impaling him with her ice, Halvard throwing her off the deck. And each memory forged a longer and longer chain that caused her to feel sickened with herself. She began to sob, remembering how her promise to Anna was now broken.

_She was a killer._

The feelings were too much, and even though she had almost nothing in her belly, she leaned quickly to her left and began to throw-up the water she had just drank onto the sand. She continued for a few more minutes, dry-heaving at the thought of her own actions. Appalled at what she had done.

Elsa began to wonder if perhaps she really was dead, and this was hell. A place of utter isolation where she would be forced to drown in her own misery for all eternity. She figured it would be a fitting punishment.

* * *

_April 15th, 1794_

It was early morning, and the crew of the Boreas were looking out across the water towards the familiar peaks of the cliffs that surrounded the fjord. Even from this distance, they could spot the spires on the tops of the castle's towers. Anna and Kristoff were up on the deck as well, along with Rapunzel and Eugene. They stood watching the sight come closer and closer into view.

Arendelle. Their home.

Anna was still having mixed feelings about returning. She really didn't want to have to face the council, thus re-living everything that had happened. But Kristoff said he would be right beside her, as did Rapunzel and Eugene. The thought that she would not be alone in this gave her some comfort at least.

The Arcadia was still sailing along side them. It was flying the colors of the Southern Isles which would normally provoke a defensive response from Arendelle, but since they were traveling side-by-side with the flagship, the patrol vessels should think nothing of it. Sure enough, both ships sailed into the fjord without any difficulty. The only vessel to approach them was a single boat that came up along the Boreas' starboard side and followed them as they made their way towards the harbor.

Anna turned to look at the ship and saw a man walking up to its railing, obviously wanting to communicate with the Boreas. She recognized him as one of the captains of the patrol boats, but she couldn't remember his name. Walking over to the railing, she stood ready to converse across the gap between the ships.

"Your Highness." The captain greeted as he saw Anna standing on the Boreas. He was wondering why Elsa was absent, but he didn't comment on it. "We didn't expect you to be home so soon." Taking a quick glance over the Boreas he noted the extensive damage to the ship. "Nor did we expect... this."

Anna watched as he gestured to the tattered hull of their flagship. No one in Arendelle knew about what had happened in the Southern Isles, or about the fight with the Odin, so his confusion was understandable.

"Yes... a number of things have happened." She told him. "I intend to tell the council everything, but as you can see, we are in desperate need to dock for repairs." She gestured behind her to the Arcadia which was traveling along the Boreas' other side. "The Southern Isles vessel accompanying us will need assistance as well once they dock."

Curious as to why a Southern Isles ship was being politely escorted into their harbor, the Captain had many questions on the tip of his tongue, but felt it was not his place to ask the Princess at this time.

"Of course, Your Highness." He replied. "And... welcome home"

The patrol boat broke off from following the Boreas and turned to head back to its standard position. As it did, the Boreas continued on its course. It didn't take long before the people of Arendelle began to notice their flagship making its way towards the docks. Shop owners, patrolling guards, and ordinary villagers out enjoying the morning air all began to glance over at the vessel as it slowly made its way along. Many of them were confused at the sight of the mighty vessel being so severely damaged and limping its way to a pier. The sight attracted quite the crowd, which soon included several members of Arendelle's ruling council.

Traveling further into the fjord and moving past the lighthouse that stood out in the water, guarding the harbor, everyone on the Boreas looked over to a particularly large vessel that was docked at one of the piers next to the town.

"Whoa... take a look at that." Kristoff commented, gesturing to the unknown ship.

Close enough now to make out finer details, including the large purple flag with golden sun flying atop the ship's mainmast, Eugene and Rapunzel were able to recognize the ship.

"Well, well." Eugene began. "My friends, that is _our_ newest flagship. The Solstice."

It was a very impressive looking vessel. Larger than the Boreas, but still not nearly as big as the Odin had been, the Solstice sat majestically at its dock, the sunlight making the light wood used in its construction appear to glow. Anna was well aware that Corona had a larger navy than Arendelle, but she did not know that they had just built their own new flagship.

"Pride of the Coronan fleet." Eugene continued. "I'm not sure what it's doing here in Arendelle's harbor though..."

"It was probably sent here to find out where we got to." Rapunzel replied, leaning against the railing with her elbows and looking at the Solstice. "After all, we were supposed to be back home days ago."

Kristoff walked up to Eugene as he continued to stare at the ship.

"What?" He began jokingly. "We build a big new ship, so you decide that you just _have_ to build an even bigger one?" He finished his sarcastic comment with a nudge in his friend's side.

"No." Eugene replied with a grin on his face. "Of course not." His sarcasm matched Kristoff's and the two men shared a chuckle.

Anna was looking at the Solstice too, but she was not nearly as worked up over it as the guys were. Walking over to the railing next to Rapunzel, she leaned her own elbows down onto the wood as well.

"The Boreas, the Odin, the Solstice..." She listed off in a flat tone. "What is it? _Build a new flagship month_ all across Europe?"

Rapunzel knew Anna was not intending to make a joke, but the comment was somewhat funny. She, therefore, couldn't help but let out a laugh. She hoped it would have the added benefit of lightening the mood a bit too.

"You know, it might only be a coincidence." The brunette told her. "But... it's kind of just a sign of the times. The world isn't as big a place as everyone always thought it was. Maps are all filled in now, and people are trying to desperately hold onto what small portions of that world they each own." She gestured over to the Coronan flagship. "That's why they build bigger and bigger ships. To defend their people."

_Yeah, from crazy kings who want to take over other parts of the world._ Anna thought to herself.

_Why can't everyone just get along? There'd be no more hostility, no more wars, no more..._ She sighed at the thought. _...No more death_.

The Arcadia had made its way to a docking birth farther down in the harbor while the Boreas was now pulling into its own spot which was alongside the Solstice. With the two ships side-by-side, it was now very clear that the Solstice was a great deal larger than the Boreas.

Anna stood up from her position leaning against the railing as the ship came to a slow halt beside the pier. Crew on the deck flung ropes down towards the men on the dock who tied the ship off. Lieutenant Nikolaus orchestrated the docking procedure with finesse, providing exactly what orders needed to be given in order to bring the ship to a secure position up against the very same place it had departed from eight days earlier.

Ropes were pulled tight and the gangplank was extended over to the dock. Everyone onboard released a silent breath as the realization that they made it safely home had sunk in. Everyone except Anna, that is. For her, the stress was just about to begin.

Looking over to the towering peaks of the castle that had been her home for so many years, she felt dread at its sight for the first time she could ever remember. Of course she was glad to be able to sleep in her own bed, eat better food, and no longer stumble on the deck of a rocking ship, but she just couldn't get everything else out of her mind.

It was times like this that Anna would confide in Elsa, spill all her worries out on her sister so that they could face them together. Unfortunately, the very cause of her current feelings was due to Elsa's absence.

Home would never feel the same again.


	35. Chapter 3 - Icy Confirmation

Chapter 3 - Icy Confirmation

The waters that had been host to the ferocious battle between the Boreas and the Odin only a few days prior were mostly clear of all debris. By now, it had all been blown across the surface and taken along for its aimless ride in whatever direction the ocean's currents would take it.

Following the trail of the debris was a small vessel that was flying no colors whatsoever. A two masted ship with minimal armament, the vessel was built for speed rather than combat. It's commander, Captain Jorgensen was somewhat of a rouge in the waters of the North Sea. Considered a pirate by some, his vessel, the Mustela, was notoriously difficult to catch, making it a favored hire when covert action needed to be taken as quickly as possible.

At the moment, Jorgensen was on a job. Standing at the helm of his ship, following the trail of debris through the waters, he looked out over the bow of the Mustela at the Island which the trail had led them to. Spying the debris littering the shore he realized that they had gone as far as they could by sea. It was time to continue the search on foot.

Passing the wheel off to one of his crew, he strode up to address his men.

"Lower the longboat!" He yelled. "Prepare to go ashore!"

As he gave the orders, the men on the deck began to scurry around. Some men trimming the sails to keep the Mustela in place, while others got the longboat ready for departure.

Captain Jorgensen walked over to the small boat which was now sitting in the water beside his ship, ready to be boarded. A few of his most trusted men climbed down the side of the Mustela and hopped into the longboat, steadying it for the Captain's arrival.

"Hold the ship here until we return." He commanded the remaining crew who were on the deck. "If we do not come back within two hours... it means we never will. Should that happen, leave immediately."

Without questioning his orders, the crew nodded in affirmation as their captain climbed down the ladder and into the longboat. Taking his seat, the other men in the boat began to row the captain and themselves over to the shore of the island ahead of them.

On the short ride over to the land, Jorgensen thought over his current situation. There were a number of things that didn't fully make sense to him. First, the man who had hired him to do this job did not specify _why_ he wanted this to be done. All he told him was to track down a certain vessel, and then attempt to locate a particular person of interest. Who this person was, Jorgensen did not know, but he was given a very detailed description of what they look like, how they dressed, and some hints at other oddities that might make the person stand out from others.

The vagueness of the intel was somewhat troubling, but the most concerning tip given to him before he started this job was the warning.

_Don't let your guard down,_ the man had told him,_ she's extremely dangerous._

Jorgensen was not someone to be taken lightly, and he knew this. His reputation, whether he liked it or not, was a fearsome one, so for someone to tell _him_ to be careful was not something he was used to. He realized jobs like this often left the middle-man in the dark about certain details, which is why he did not question his 'employer' any further, but this particular job had a strange feel to it, and secretly, it worried him greatly. The payout was the only thing that would make it worth the risk.

Coming up gently on the sandy shores of the island, the longboat ground to a halt as the front of the keel dug into the sand. Two of the men jumped out of the boat and pulled it up farther onto the shore, allowing Jorgensen and the other men to step out directly onto the land.

The Captain looked around at his surroundings as he stood in the wet sand near the surf. In the distance, the sand turned to long grass where the beach ended. There were a scattering of trees and the odd outcropping of rock visible along the terrain, but otherwise, this island was unremarkable.

Closer to him, bits of debris were covering the shore, some which had become buried by the wave actions, some which were large enough to still be protruding a great deal from the beach. He walked over to one nearby fragment to examine it. It was a large piece of wood planking, dark navy blue in colour, it had jagged edges which appeared to be the result of it being violently split from the hull of the vessel it once was part of.

"Seems like whatever ship this was took quite a beating." Said one of the crewmen who was standing on the beach near Jorgensen.

"Yes." The captain replied. "I don't think I've ever seen _this_ level of destruction before."

He lifted his gaze up from the one piece of debris and scanned the shoreline again. "Even when a ship's powder keg goes up, it rarely does this much damage."

"Do you think this is from the vessel we were hired to follow, or from one of its victims?" Another man asked. He was holding up another piece of wooden debris which had a small bit of bent iron plating attached to it. The buoyancy of the wood was obviously enough to prevent this particular piece of metal from sinking to the bottom as it drifted to the island.

"I don't know." Said the captain as he started walking inland. "But since it could be, we need to search the area. There could be survivors."

* * *

The five men walked along the beach for less than fifteen minutes before coming across something that fell under the category of unusual. Another large piece of wooden debris stuck out of the sand in front of them, but this one had pieces of ripped purple and dark green fabric tangled up in its splintered edges. In addition to that, were the relatively fresh footprints leading from beside the debris, out across the wet sand and farther inland. The must have been no more than a day old.

"I see someone's here." Jorgensen commented as he followed the path of the footprints with his eyes. The other four men all pulled out their respected weapons as the captain said this. They all looked around as if they were preparing to repel a surprise attack from the unknown survivor of this shipwreck.

Keeping substantially more calm than his men, Jorgensen leaned in close to examine the fabric stuck to the debris. Feeling it with his hands, it was definitely an expensive piece of cloth. Thick and luxurious with fancy embroidering, it most certainly belonged to a wealthy person, or someone in a position of authority. On top of that, the colors and patterns present on them were similar to what they had been told their target often wore.

"This might be her..." Jorgensen whispered to himself, not loud enough for anyone else to hear him. He was almost certain he had found what he was looking for. This fabric most likely belonged to the person he had been hired to track down, but he was still not completely certain. He wouldn't be paid for his work if he want back with anything less than one-hundred percent confidence.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long for all of the confirmation he needed.

"Captain!" One of his men called out. "I think you'd better come take a look at this."

The man was standing about thirty feet from the debris with the torn fabric. He was closer to the water, but still not close enough for the current level of the tide to flood the area where he was stood.

As Jorgensen walked closer to his crewman, he noticed the ground under his feet become harder and harder. The closer he got, the less his boots sunk into the wet sand, until eventually he was no longer making any impressions in the ground as he walked. He paused his forward movement as realization started to click in.

"The sand here, Captain." The man continued. "It's solid." He bent down to touch the ground, confirming what he felt under his feet. "And it's cold."

Jorgensen was certain now. He remembered what he had been told by the man who hired him and his mind flashed back to the conversation.

_"...One more thing." The man told him. "This woman has an unusual connection to... the cold."_

_"The cold?" Jorgenson questioned back. "What does that mean?"_

_"Well, let's just say that if you happen to come across any... snow or ice, in a place where you would otherwise not expect it... then she is undoubtedly nearby."_

Snapping back to the present, the Captain closed the remaining distance to what appeared to be the center of the patch of frozen sand.

"Shovels! Now!" He yelled. "I want to know what's under here."

Two of the men quickly dropped their swords and pulled out the shovels that were attached to harnesses on their backs. They both began to dig up the sand, which was incredibly difficult to do considering how solid it had become due to the low temperature. Thankfully, the source of the strange occurrence was only a few inches below the surface. As one of the shovels hit something that was not sand, the men looked up at each other and began to quickly dig out the object.

Less than a minute later, the sand around a small box had been completely cleared away, leaving it sitting at the bottom of a small depression in the beach. The box was covered in small bits of sandy ice and frost. As the Captain leaned in closer to examine the object, he could feel the drastic change in the air temperature and began to see his own breath by the time he was within a few feet of it.

It was difficult to make out at first, but upon closer examination, the Captain could see a symbol engraved on the lid of the box. Carved elegantly into the wood was a shield shaped crest, stained purple on the left, and green on the right. In the middle was a yellow crocus, three petals atop a thin stem with a leaf on each side. He recognized the symbol immediately.

"Shovel." He commanded with an outstretched hand as he stood back up.

One of the men who had been digging handed his shovel to the captain who gripped it tightly and held the tip of the spade over top of the lock on the front of the box. With a swift and forceful thrust, he knocked the metal lock off of the box which had been weakened by the cold. Handing the shovel back to one of the men, he lowered himself to a crouching position again.

He was a bit nervous about touching the box, but he had to see what was inside. Grabbing the side of the lid, he was startled by just how cold it was. Being a man who grew up sailing the waters of the North Sea, he was no stranger to cold temperatures, but _this_ was colder than anything he had ever touched in his life. He recoiled his hands as the sting of the touch caused his fingertips to go numb. Standing up again he pulled out his sword and held it towards the box. With the skill and steadiness of an expert, he nimbly slid the tip of his blade in-between the crack of the lid and flipped the box open.

None of them really had any idea what to expect when the box was opened, but the stunned look on everyone's faces confirmed that they all were not expecting _this._ Whatever _this_ was.

Inside the box was an irregularly shaped stone that looked almost like a crystal. It was glowing with an icy blue light that stood out even in the bright sunlight. It was difficult to tell, but small waves of frosty particles seemed to be slowly seeping from the stone, drifting into the air and coating the inside of the box with a layer of ice.

Captain Jorgensen stared at the stone with curiosity. He withdrew his sword form the proximity of the box as he could feel the handle of his weapon start to become cool to the touch due to the cold traveling up the length of the blade. The air around them seemed to drop in temperature by a few degrees as the box was opened, giving them all a physical chill to accompany the mental one provided by the sight of the ice stone.

"Well..." Jorgensen began as he continued to stare at the stone. "...we've certainly found who we're looking for..." He gestured to the site of the footprints in the sand, but kept his gaze fixed on the stone. "...and even more." Bringing his sword forward again, he closed the lid of the box. "And now it's time we leave."

He gestured to two of the men who were near him as he put his sword back in its sheath. "Pick up that box. Use something to protect your hands. It's very cold."

The men ripped off strips of fabric from their ratty clothing and wrapped their hands in them, creating makeshift gloves to protect themselves from the sub-freezing temperatures being emitted by the stone within the box. Pulling it out of the ground, the five men made their way back across the beach towards where their longboat was resting on the shoreline.

As they walked, Captain Jorgensen kept a wary eye on all angles, making sure the mysterious survivor on the island did not make an appearance. He was paid to find her, not fight her. When they got back in the boat, they quickly shoved off and began to row back to their ship.

A short time later and they were back onboard the Mustela. Jorgensen made his way up to resume his command at the ship's wheel while the other men carefully carried the strange box down to the cargo hold. The other crew on the deck seemed quite curious as to what could be in the container, but the Captain interrupted their thoughts as he addressed everyone on deck.

"Set course to make our rendezvous." He yelled. "It's time to cash in boys!"

A resounding cheer erupted from all of the men. They all knew the payout was going to be massive, larger than what they usually managed to acquire on a typical job, or even through months worth of pirating. The crew hastily began to raise the sails to make their way back where they came from.

As the Captain turned the ship's wheel hard over to port so that he could bring the ship about, one of his more trusted men came up to him.

"Are you certain this will guarantee us payment?" He asked.

Jorgensen thought for a moment before he replied. He was told to track down the ship, and he had done that. He was told to locate the targeted woman, and he had done that. He may not have seen her with his own eyes, but she was definitely on that island... somewhere.

"Yes, I am." He replied. "This should satisfy that Duke."

* * *

**A/N:** Aha! There's the plot! Well, some hints at it anyway...

This chapter might not directly feature any of our familiar characters, but it was important to set up elements for later in the story. Can anyone guess who the man that hired Jorgensen is? I'm sure it's probably obvious...

As always, reviews are appreciated!


	36. Chapter 4 - Meeting on the Docks

Chapter 4 - Meeting on the Docks

Anna took slow and nervous steps down the gangplank that connected the Boreas' deck with the wooden pier of Arendelle's harbor. Kristoff, Eugene, Rapunzel, and Lieutenant Nikolaus followed close behind her. In front of her, the head of Arandelle's ruling council, Prime Minister Tollak, stood with two of the castle's guards, waiting to greet her.

As Anna looked over towards the man, she found him particularly frightening at the moment. He was not an overly threatening looking person, fairly skinny and frail looking, but he was tall and always seemed to carry an aura of intimidation with him wherever he went. He was nothing but kind to her in the past, but as a kid, Anna was always slightly afraid of him. Even though it was probably un-justified, it seemed to carry on now that she was more-or-less an adult.

Prime Minister Tollak's position was one that was relatively new in the history of Arendelle. It was Anna and Elsa's parents, King Agdar and Queen Idun, who initially proposed the idea of creating a more active ruling council than what had been present in years previous. The council was made up of six members who were each elected by the people of Arendelle to be in charge of the various bodies necessary to keep the kingdom running smoothly. The King and Queen liked the idea of the people being able to more directly influence the decisions of their leaders through an elected representative process.

The prospect was met with scepticism at first, with many suggesting that it would take away the direct power of the royal family and make the monarchy nothing but a figure-head. It took time to come up with a balance that worked well, but everyone eventually grew to like it. The King and Queen would regularly have meetings with the council where they would make decisions based on the recommendations of the members. It kept them closer in touch with the people outside the castle's gates, especially after the incident leading up to their permanent closure.

In the three years following the death of the King and Queen, the council took a more active role in making decisions, allowing Elsa more time to adjust to the role she would have to take. When she was crowned, she began to take on more of the responsibilities, but she kept the council exactly as it was since it had worked so well for the past few decades.

The Queen still out-ruled the Prime Minister, and technically, being the Princess, Anna still out-ruled him too. Despite this, there had been occasions where the council could overrule the monarchy. It could only happen if they unanimously decided that a decision was being made that would cause harm to the Kingdom, or if the King or Queen was deemed un-fit. The most recent example of this being when the council agreed to let Hans imprison Elsa after bringing her back from the North Mountain nine months ago. It may have been a bad example, considering what almost came of it, but the regulation was based in reason. Even after the thaw, Elsa felt no need to alter that little rule.

Perhaps this was why Anna felt so nervous. She felt that the council would just ignore every one of her decisions and all team up to overrule her at every opportunity. It was a foolish notion, but her lack of confidence in recent days was beginning to bring her typically high spirits down.

As Anna neared the Prime Minister, he bowed slightly to greet her.

"Princess Anna, welcome back." He began, "When I saw the Boreas returning to port in its current state, I made my way to the docks as soon as I could."

"Thank you, Tollak." She replied, still felling just a bit intimidated by the taller man. "As you can see... we've been through a lot."

"Yes..." Said the Prime Minister. He was hesitant to ask the question foremost on his mind, but he felt it was prudent to do so anyway.

"Your Highness, if I may... where is Queen Elsa?"

And there it was. The question she knew was coming, requiring the answer she was dreaded having to give. Being forced to go over all of the details _again_ was not a pleasant prospect. Anna figured the best way to say this would be to do so as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"She didn't make it." She told him. It was short and to the point, if not a bit vague.

"Didn't make it?" Tollak questioned. "You mean she's..."

"Dead, sir." Nikolaus spoke up, saving Anna from having to say the words. "She died... to protect us, and all of Arendelle. She, along with Captain Halvard, gave their lives to save us all."

Tollak was shocked. The guards beside him as well as all other men working on the pier stood in disbelief at what they had just heard.

"What?" Regaining his composure, Tollak spoke up again. "How!? what happened!?"

"The invitation of peace we got from the Southern Isles..." Anna began, feeling it was her responsibility to relay the information. No one Else's.

"The one we sent the Aksel out to give you?" He questioned rhetorically. "Yes."

"It was a trap." Anna answered. "King Rasmus only wanted to capture Elsa and steal her powers. Then use them and his navy to destroy Arendelle."

"My god..." The news was a shock to everyone present who wasn't already aware of it. Tollak barely knew what to say next, and Anna continued before he could respond.

"We managed to stop his ship, but... it came at a high price." Anna hung her head down as she concluded the explanation of recent events. It was some heavy stuff. She never thought anything could be worse than what had happened around Elsa's coronation nine months ago, but _this_... This was worse.

Tollak nodded slightly as he took everything in. It was a lot to process, but years of running the kingdom side by side with Agdar and Idun allowed him to start planning for the future immediately. Actions such as these usually led to war, and a war against the Southern Isles would likely be one Arendelle would lose. As he thought deeper about all of it, one particular oddity stuck out in his head.

"Your Highness," He asked, "If the Southern Isles attacked your ship, then why were you escorting one of their vessels into our harbor?"

"Prince Stefan and the crew of the Arcadia came to our rescue." Replied Anna. She figured that someone would question that fairly quickly.

"We likely would have all died if it were not for him." Kristoff added, walking up to stand beside Anna. "Not all of the Southern Isles is against us."

"That's right. Rasmus was a rouge of sorts... doing crazy things. The others don't support him anymore." Anna tried to be as confident as possible in her assurances to the Prime Minister. She didn't want him sending the Arcadia away when she promised that they would be welcomed in Arendelle. "His crew needs assistance too. Many of their men are wounded."

Tollak didn't like it, but if this Prince Stefan had really saved those aboard the Boreas, then perhaps he deserved at least a little gratitude.

"Very well, we will give them any repair supplies and medical attention they require." He turned to address one of the two guards standing beside him. "But I don't want any of them leaving the dock they are birthed in. They will not be permitted to wander our streets freely."

Anna didn't like the amendment to that command.

"But Tollak, they saved us!"

"And _that_ is why I have not immediately sent them away." He responded quickly, preventing Anna from protesting further. "Regardless of their one honorable action, we must keep them under close watch until we can be sure they are trustworthy, Princess."

She cringed at the way he said '_princess_'. She felt as though he was already demeaning her in a subtle way.

"Fine," The redhead sighed, "but I don't want them treated like enemies! I trust them already, so I want them given the respect they deserve."

"Of course, Your Highness. I have no intention of treating them disrespectfully, unless they give me reason to."

It wasn't exactly the blind obedience Anna was hoping for, but it would have to do. She was far too tired to banter with Tollak at the moment anyway.

By now, most of the crew of the Boreas had made it down the gangplank and were standing on the dock behind the royals. Prime Minister Tollak turned to face them all to give them a congratulations.

"You've all done an admirable service under difficult conditions." He began, pacing towards them slowly. "You'll be receiving Arendelle's highest commendation, and of course, a very long holiday if you so desire."

Contented mummers were heard through the crewmen. Many of them relished the idea of a nice long vacation after the hell they had just been through. Anna had planned to give them the same news herself, but unfortunately, Tollak had beat her to it. She felt a bit jealous that he had taken that chance from her. Pretty much everyone in the Kingdom already loved the Prime Minister from years prior, but Anna was just starting to get people to even notice her. It would have been a golden opportunity.

With Tollak's permission, Nikolaus dismissed the crew and they began to make their way along the pier towards the shore. Before many of them even made it past where Anna and Kristoff were standing, a well dressed man who Anna did not recognize strolled up the dock towards them. He stopped and gave a quick bow before turning his attention to Rapunzel and Eugene. Without giving any other introductions he broke into conversation right away.

"Unfortunately, I cannot let you run away to such a generous offer of down-time just yet, Prince Eugene." He looked at the Prince as he spoke, the tone implying that they were somewhat familiar with each other.

"And, you are?" Anna enquired. She was still very much in the dark about who this man was.

"Ah! Princess Anna, I presume." He looked at her this time and gave another bow. "I am Captain Eckhard, commanding the Coronan flagship The Solstice. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Thank you." She replied.

"So what's this about me not getting a vacation?" Eugene questioned.

"Yes, My Lord. Unfortunately, I must ask for your presence aboard the Solstice for a few days." Eckhard responded, facing Eugene again. "We left Corona earlier than planned in order to come find you after you and the Princess did not return home on schedule."

"We figured that's probably why you were here." Rapunzel interjected. "But why do you need Eugene on the Solstice? We were planning on relaxing."

"Well, Your Highness, because we left port early, the ship was not... fully prepared. There are still a number of finishing touches that need to be dealt with before she is _officially_ complete. Our hasty departure also meant that a younger, inexperienced crew was the only one available to man her. And being young, they are not always as... motivated as I would prefer."

Rapunzel and Eugene still didn't see where this was going.

"You see," He continued. "I was hoping the presence of their prince, a man closer to their own age whom most of them look up to, might be able to motivate them a bit more."

"Really? You think me just being on the ship will get them to work faster?" Said Eugene. "And why me? Why can't Rapunzel do it?"

"Hey!" Rapunzel exclaimed, nudging Eugene in the shoulder. "Don't put this on me!"

"Because in all honesty, My Lord, I need the men to be encouraged by the presence of their charismatic Prince, not distracted by the presence of their beautiful Princess." Eckhard seemed slightly embarrassed to have to ask this, and given the awkward nature of the request, it was understandable.

"Hmm, I'm a role model." Eugene chuckled. "They must not _really_ know me at all."

Rapunzel gave a chuckle as well and looped her arm with her husband's.

"All right, I'll do it." He relented. "But give me a chance to at least clean myself up a bit. Maybe gat an hour or two of sleep?"

"Of course, Prince Eugene. Whenever you're available." Captain Eckhard bowed and headed back to the Solstice, leaving the royals standing alone with the Prime Minister and his one remaining guard.

"You know you're both welcomed to stay in the castle's guest suite again." Anna told the Coronan couple.

"Thank you." Rapunzel replied. "although most of our stuff was destroyed during the battle... we probably don't need nearly that much room anymore."

"Join the club." Anna said flatly. "Most of everyone's things were destroyed in that battle."

As if the thought suddenly hit Prime Minister Tollak hard in the chest, he jolted himself into the conversation once again.

"Oh! Your Highness! Speaking of personal belongings, we're the Queen's items kept safe?"

"Unfortunately, no. Her cabin was hit particularly hard. Almost all of Elsa's things we're not found at all." Answered Anna. She didn't know why that was such a big deal. She had hardly been worrying over Elsa's _things_ when Elsa _herself_ had been lost.

"Oh, Princess that is not good!" He continued. "As queen, your sister carried a number of important things with her. For example, the royal seal."

"Well, unfortunately, they're gone. They've either drifted across the water or sunk to the bottom of the North Sea by now." Kristoff Added.

"Did you look for them in the aftermath of the battle?" Tollak asked, urgently. Panic apparent in his voice. "Did you recover anything of value?"

Anna was starting to get agitated now. It seemed like Tollak was more concerned with some stupid seal and a few other stupid things than he was with the news that Elsa had died!

"We were a little preoccupied with searching the water for Elsa and Halvard to be concerned with some trinkets!" She spat, hoping her agitation got across without being too much of a brat.

"Your Highness, those _trinkets_ are important for the future security of our kingdom." Tollak replied in a serious tone. "Imagine if another vessel were to find the royal seal washed up on shore somewhere. They could forge official documents and cause great damage to Arendelle's relations with neighboring lands. And that's only a mild example of what might happen if some of the Queen's belongings fell into the wrong hands."

Tollak turned to his guard again to give another order. It was imperative that swift action be taken in this regard.

"Go send for Captain Anton of the Aksel. Tell him to prepare for an important salvage operation. Get Lieutenant Nikolaus to provide the Captain with the position of the battle site so that they can track down any remaining debris."

"Yes, Prime Minister." The guard replied as he ran off to relay the orders to Captain Anton.

Tollak faced Anna again who had been wordlessly pouting after having been silenced by him like a child. His face relaxed as he addressed her once again.

"Princess Anna... you may not fully understand the importance of certain workings of the kingdom at this point, which is why I recommend you trust my judgment for the time being." He rested a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to console her. "Believe me when I say that I have no intention of attempting to usurp your authority, but rather I seek to work _with _you in this difficult time."

Anna didn't feel comforted by his act of familiarity with his hand on her shoulder. If anything, it made her feel even more like a kid who was being told off by an adult, but his words spoke to her a little more. She did need help, now more than ever, and Tollak had been through all of this before when he was helping Elsa through the duties of taking over a kingdom at a young age. His experience had to count for something, right?

"Thank you Tollak. I'm sorry, and I know you mean well." She told him as he took back his hand. He gave a small smile and a nod in return.

"Then I will let you all go and rest for the time being." He said to the four of them. "I will meet with the other members of the council and discuss the situation. Your Highness, Mr. Bjorgman, after the meeting I would like to see you both again to discuss more."

Kristoff and Anna both nodded. They were exhausted and wanted desperately to just go sleep in their bed for the rest of the day, but the need to get on with politics was an unfortunate necessity, and one that doesn't always allow for rest.

"Excellent." The Prime Minister replied. "Until then." He politely bowed and took his leave of them.

The two couples were at a loss for words. They hoped being back on dry land would provide a respite from the troubles they had been through, but it seemed they all still had business to deal with that couldn't wait for later. As the four of them walked slowly across the docks, through the town, across the causeway and into the castle, they did not utter a single sentence.

Words would come later. Right now, sleep was the priority, however brief that sleep would be.


	37. Chapter 5 - Tollak's Decisions

Chapter 5 - Tollak's Decisions

The sleep that they had desired, the sleep that was so very much deserved, ended up being even shorter than either of them had anticipated.

Kristoff and Anna were both sound asleep and slouched on top of the bed in her room. They were so exhausted when they arrived that they did not even have the energy to change clothes, and both decided to plop down exactly as they were, not removing their coats or shoes. And now, as it approached half-past noon, a knock came at their door.

_Knock, Knock, Knock._

"Princess Anna?" The voice called from the other side of the door.

The sleeping couple were still very much dead to the waking world. Heavy breathing coming from Kristoff who lay with his back propped up slightly against the headboard and one leg hanging off the side of the bed, and occasional loud snores coming from Anna who was lying almost perpendicular to him with her head and shoulders resting on his stomach. Neither of them heard the call from the hallway.

Fortunately, the man on the other side of the door, Kai, was accustomed to the difficulties of waking up Arendelle's Princess. Him and his wife Gerda were staff within the castle longer than anyone else, so he was used to having to try and rouse Anna from her deep sleeps.

He knocked on the door again, louder this time.

_Knock, Knock, Knock!_

"Your highness?" He spoke again with a volume he knew was loud enough to be heard even over the redhead's snoring. "I'm sorry, but I have to wake you."

Kai's familiar voice was able to stir Anna from her sleep somewhat. She rolled sharply to her right and gave a very un-ladylike snort as she did so, loud enough to wake Kristoff.

Leaning forward slowly and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Kristoff wiggled himself into a sitting position which caused Anna to roll off him and fully onto the bed. As she did so, three more knocks came from the door, jostling her enough to quickly lean up and call out.

"...uuugh, who is it?" She called. Her eyes were still closed and the pigtails her hair was still tied in were a mess and tangled around her neck.

"It's me ma'am." Kai replied. "I'm very sorry to have to get you up right now, I know you must be tired, but the Prime Minister has requested your presence."

"...the... priminister..." Anna mumbled, still not fully awake but starting to slowly open her eyes. Meanwhile, Kristoff was starting to roll off the bed and stand on his own two feet. He was always quicker to wake than Anna.

"Yes ma'am, the Prime Minister." Kai clarified again. "I assume Mr. Bjorgman is in there with you. If he is, can you tell him that his presence is requested as well?"

Stumbling across the room, Kristoff looked back over his shoulder to see that Anna, who was still sitting up with her head leaning in one hand, had fallen asleep again. She let out another loud snore which was clearly overheard by Kai in the hallway.

"Yes Kai, I'm in here." Kristoff called to the man outside the door. "And thanks for letting us know."

"Ah, very good." He answered. "Then perhaps _you_ could re-awaken the Princess and guarantee she makes it down to the meeting on time?"

Looking over to his wife again, Kristoff winced as Anna slowly began to lean more and more to the left until she toppled over and flopped down onto the floor off the side of the bed. Fortunately, the covers she was wrapped up in softened the impact.

"Will do..." He called back to Kai. If the upcoming meeting wasn't weighing so heavily on his mind, he would likely have laughed out loud at the sight of Anna wrapped in a ball of pink covers and sheets, with limbs randomly sticking out at various angles, and _still_ snoring.

* * *

After another twenty minutes of getting ready, of which Kristoff only required about thirty seconds, both him and Anna were up on one of the higher floors of the castle, standing outside the Prime Minister's office.

The architecture of the castle's main building was such that made for very large and highly sloped roofs. As a result, there was ample usable space in the peaks of the fourth and fifth floors that were above the more spacious areas of the second and third floors where Elsa and Anna's bedrooms, along with the library and the Queen's study were located. The Prime Minister's office was still a fairly large space, but it was unique in the fact that, vertically, it was triangular in shape, making for an interesting interior layout.

Still a bit sleepy, Anna let Kristoff take the initiative to knock on the door. As soon as he did, a greeting was heard from the other side.

"Come in." The voice called.

Turning the handles of the double doors, Kristoff and Anna walked inside and were greeted by Prime Minister Tollak who was standing up from behind his desk and walking towards the two of them.

"Sorry we're a bit late." Kristoff began as he walked inside.

"Oh, no need to apologize." Replied Tollak. "If anything, I should be apologizing for having to wake you up. Believe me, if this meeting wasn't so curtail I would have let you sleep as long as you both wanted, especially after what you went through." He motioned to the two chairs across from his desk as he walked back around to his own chair. The couple sat down and the Prime Minister followed suit.

"Thank you." Said Anna, "But we're not completely sure _why_ this meeting was so curtail." Anna glanced to Kristoff as she said this. He picked up where she left off.

"We know things are... going to have to change around here. But not..."

"Not right away." Anna finished his sentence, then looked back at Tollak.

Sensing where this conversation was quickly headed, Tollak decided to re-direct the topic.

"With all due respect to both of you, we will get to that." He had both his hands up in front of him in somewhat of a defensive gesture. "But first, there are other things to talk about as well."

The two royals looked at each other then nodded, signaling for Tollak to continue.

"First of all, I sent Captain Anton on the Aksel out to the location of the battle. Lieutenant Nikolaus gave him the precise coordinates of where it took place so it should be a simple matter of using ocean currents to track the debris path. With any luck, the Queen's belongings can be recovered."

Anna gave a nod of understanding as Tollak went on.

"You should know, Princess Anna," He went on. "That I also told Anton to try and recover the Queen as well."

"Recover?" Anna asked, her eyes moving from staring blankly at the desk in front of her to looking directly into Tollak's eyes.

"Yes..." The Prime Minister replied hesitantly. "Recover her... body."

Brief silence followed, and Anna shifted her gaze away from Tollak, back to the wood grain patterns on the desk.

"It would be better... I believe, for both you _and_ the people of Arendelle if there was an actual body to be buried... To provide more closure." He explained his reasoning with as much tact as possible, to avoid further upsetting the Princess. "The people of our kingdom had to lay their past King and Queen to rest without the recovery of their bodies... I would very much like to try and avoid that happening another time."

Anna felt ashamed to admit it, but she felt the same way. Her parents had been given a funeral even though their bodies were never recovered. There was nothing to put in a coffin, nothing to bury beneath the tombstones. It was hard not having that physical presence, something for her eyes to confirm that they were truly gone.

Now, for Elsa, Anna was fearing having to deal with the same absence of finality. Having her sister's body back in Arendelle, given the proper respect with a proper funeral, would at least provide her with the closure she so desperately needed. Yet at the same time, a part of her didn't want the Aksel to find a body. A part of her, however small it was, clung to the possibility that Elsa was still out there, alive and well. It might have been hope. It might have been denial. Regardless, it left her conflicted.

"Yes." She decided to say. "I suppose that would be best."

Kristoff put a hand over his wife's, squeezing it tightly in re-assurance. Tollak re-adjusted himself in his seat and went on.

"Good. Now, as for the Boreas itself..." He leaned back fully in his char, letting out an exasperated sigh. "The damage to the ship is extensive. VERY extensive. Repairs will be expensive, especially now when we a still recovering from the cost of building her."

"But, it can be fixed up again, cant it?" Kristoff interjected. "After all, on our way back the crew made decent progress on their own."

"It _will_ be fixed up." Tollak replied, his tone sounding serious. "But unfortunately, not any time soon."

"Huh?" Anna spoke up again. "What do you mean?"

"I mean; we can't afford to fix up the Boreas right now." Tollak shifted his gaze to the redhead. "That time and money needs to be spent more wisely, for example, the regular maintenance on the rest of our naval fleet, to ensure we still have at least _some_ protection by sea. Perhaps next spring we will be able to return the Boreas to its former glory..."

"Next spring?" Anna exclaimed. "A whole year? We are just gonna let the pride of our navy, _our flagship_, sit broken and unattended at one of the docks for a year?"

Anna didn't like that idea. Sure, she had been less than interested in the vessel's construction, and not overly excited about the prospect of having to go on a long sea voyage aboard it, but now that she had spent a lot of time on it, now knowing that it had bravely carried her back to Arendelle despite overwhelming odds, she felt a bit of attachment to the ship.

"Princess, I don't like it either." Came Tollak's reply. "But keep in mind, the council has closely examined the situation and we feel this is best for the forthcoming safety of Arendelle. Especially now..."

And there Anna was again, being shut up by Tollak's logic. In actuality, this sort of thing happened frequently to Anna, who would often let her mouth speak before her brain considered her words. Typically, it would be Elsa who would explain this to her, and she didn't mind so much when it was her, but when Tollak did it, she always felt like she should just bury her head in the dirt and never speak up again.

Without Kristoff or Anna getting a chance to say another word, Tollak segued right into his next topic, one which he knew was going to be a very sensitive one.

"...And this brings me to my final point. Princess Anna, Mr. Bjorgman," The two looked up at the prime Minister again as he continued his speech. "We need to discuss the details for... the upcoming ceremony."

_And here it comes._ Anna thought to herself.

If she was dreading simply getting off the boat and having to face the Prime Minister on the docks a few hours ago, then she was _really _dreading having to start planning this.

Elsa's funeral.

She figured the best way to get through it was to act with as much maturity as she could muster. Handle it with the grace and professionalism that everyone would expect form a Princess. That way it would go smoothly and without issues. As a result, it should be over faster. Still, she wanted to wait at least a little longer before having to deal with it. Maybe a day or two.

"Yeah, I guess that is something we need to deal with right away." She said to Tollak. "But shouldn't we wait till the Aksel gets back. In case they... you know... recover Elsa."

"Recover Elsa?" Tollak questioned. It was clear that Anna was not thinking the same thing he was when he had said 'ceremony'. "Oh no, Princess, you misunderstand me."

Anna stared back at him with a look of confusion. She was certain that he would be wanting to start planning the funeral right now.

"Queen Elsa's funeral will be dealt with soon as well, but there is a more pressing matter at the moment." Tollak hesitated before finally spitting it out. "Your coronation."

The words were a shock to both Kristoff and Anna. Neither of them expected to have this discussion already.

"Wait, what?" Anna called out. "My coronation? Why would we be dealing with that so soon?"

"Yeah." Kristoff added. "That would still be a full two years away. Right?"

"Ordinarily, yes." Tollak answered. "As heir to the throne, your coronation would wait until you turned twenty-one, however we are no longer in an ordinary situation. Therefore, the council feels that it is in all of our best interests, if you were crowned immediately."

"Immediately!?" Anna shot a panicked look over to Kristoff who seemed equally as confused. "Wh... but, why!?" There was no way Anna was prepared for this. _Crowned immediately?!_ What about the years of preparation, like Elsa had. If anything, she needed them even more.

"Your highness, I understand your anxiety, but recent events have been quite troubling." Tollak tried to calm the princess with his words, but she kept on staring at him, wide eyed and slightly hyperventilating. "First, the Southern Isles tries to take over Arendelle nine months ago, then they kidnap our Queen and blatantly attack our flagship in open waters. This event will not go unnoticed by the international community. For example, Corona has already sent a ship here. More will likely follow to investigate."

"But the solstice was here to pick up Rapunzel and Eugene, not as a result of the incident with Rasmus." Kristoff told the Prime Minister.

"That is what they said, yes. However they might have ulterior motives as well, even if they were not the primary intention of their trip here." Answered Tollak.

"Ulterior motives? Corona has been one of our closest allies for... for..." Anna tried to remember her history lessons in order to strengthen her point, unfortunately all the time she spent wishing she was outside playing instead of paying attention to her private tutors prevented her from recalling the date in which Arendelle and Corona had first become allies. "...well I don't know how long, but it's been a long time! They wouldn't spy on us!"

"Your highness, even if they do not intend to conduct espionage, word of what happened will get out through them. Other kingdoms will soon learn that Arendelle, once again, doesn't have a current monarch, _through them._" He gestured out the window towards the Solstice sitting in the harbor as he explained what the council had discussed. "And, like I said, they will not be the first to come here."

Anna took a heavy swallow as she considered what Tollak was saying. The logic of it was starting to make sense.

"Other nations will quickly learn that Queen Elsa is dead. After the events at her coronation, Arendelle has been in somewhat of a spotlight in Europe. Many larger powers have been keeping a close eye on us when they barely knew of our existence before. This stemmed from curiosity, and fear, of your sister's abilities." Tollak leaned forward and rested his arms on the desk, closing the gap between him and the two in his office. "With her gone, and with the knowledge that our most powerful ship has been heavily damaged in a fight with another kingdom, we are vulnerable. Perhaps more than we ever have been."

It did make a bit of sense, unfortunately. Anna knew Rapunzel and Eugene would never go around telling the world what happened in the past week, but information could be subtlety leaked in a number of ways, through a number of people. After they returned, all it took was for one member of the Solstice's crew to say something small in a public place, and then it could be out. Realistically, it could probably happen in a number of ways right here in Arendelle as well.

"So..." Anna said quietly, "To ensure that we look strong... you want me to..."

"Yes, Your Highness. You must take the throne." Tollak replied. "The sooner the better."

"Hmph... how soon?" She asked. There was little she could do to escape the inevitability of it now. It would either happen this year, or two years from now. Was there really any difference?

"I know it sounds crazy, but..." Tollak hesitated.

"That's alright." Said Kristoff, "We're getting used to crazy."

The Prime Minister gave a single chuckle before continuing. "Well... Tomorrow."

"TOMORROW!?" Anna and Kristoff both yelled in unison.

"Yes. I want you to be sitting on the throne _before_ the Solstice leaves for Corona. That will mean any rumors spread will mention that we already have the position filled, discouraging anyone else form thinking they can fill it on their own."

Anna was speechless for a moment, but she was still too tired to try and contend the point. In the back of her mind it kinda seemed like the right thing to do anyway. As Elsa had told her many times before: _'Sometimes, you need to sacrifice what you want in order to keep your people safe.'_

"Alright." The redhead leaned back in her own chair and looked up at the high arched triangular roof, internally sobbing, but not wanting to show it. "I guess... we'll do it."

She certainly didn't want to do it, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make.

_In order to keep the people... MY people safe._


	38. Chapter 6 - Survival

Chapter 6 - Survival

Three days.

She had been here for three days now. Technically Elsa was only conscious for one full day out of those three, and therefore she didn't actually know exactly how long she had been there, but she was fairly certain it was somewhere around seventy-two hours or so.

Elsa was attempting to find a suitable place for a shelter of some sort. Something like a sheltered rock feature or a hollow. Last night, she had no choice but to simply lie down on the middle of the beach and create a dome of ice to sleep in. It was not ideal for a number of reasons, the primary being that the sun shone through the ice in the morning with such intensity that she awoke to the feeling of being cooked alive inside her little shelter. She found it somewhat ironic, and even a bit humorous, to almost get boiled to death inside a dome made of _ice_.

That's why a more natural sheltered location would work out better for her. It would also have the added benefit of being a little more inconspicuous than an igloo of ice sitting on a warm beach in spring. There were a number of hostile ships that could be passing by and might spot her. She figured there would be plenty of unsavory types that would figure they'd be able to make a considerable profit by holding a queen hostage. However, hiding also meant a reduced chance of being rescued by a friendly vessel.

It was a conflict, and maybe she would re-think it tomorrow, but for now she just wanted a place to rest. The sun was setting off in the distance towards the shore and she knew she would have to find something soon, otherwise making her own shelter again would be her only choice.

Elsa was walking along the terminus of the beach where the sand gradually transformed into wild grass, some underbrush, and a scattering of trees. She was heading for a rock formation that was still in fairly close proximity to the shore and might provide the shelter she wanted.

As she made her way there, the dried grass stems on the edge of the beach pricked the bottoms of her bare feet. She had still not used her powers to create shoes for herself, or any new clothing at all. In fact, other than making her shelter last night and creating some melted snow for herself to drink, which she fortunately was able to keep down ever since the previous attempt, she had not used her powers at all for anything. Not only did she still not have command of her full powers ever since Rasmus took half of them, but she felt like only using them if it were absolutely necessary. Part of her was still disgusted with it and with what she had used it to do.

By the time she neared the rock formation, the sun had set completely. It was still bright enough to see, but with the light fading fast, she wanted to make a quick decision. Fortunately, she came across a side of the formation that was partially concave and would do nicely for her overnight accommodations. The rock curved sharply in on itself leaving a space that was only open on one side which she could cover with a wall of ice. The ground in the space was covered in a generous layer of soil and dirt, making it slightly spongy to walk on and would hopefully provide a soft surface to lie on.

Stepping into the hollow, Elsa waved her hand back across the opening to create a barrier of translucent ice that would hopefully protect herself from being nibbled upon by any animals that might happen to reside on the island. She left a gap at the top of the wall where the rock did not stick out quite enough to make for a complete roof. She would probably cover it up before she went to sleep, but the air flow provided by it would be nice for a while.

She sat down and curled her knees up to her chest as she tried to remember what she had read about survival skills from an old book in the library one time. One particular concept from the book stuck in her mind.

"Threes" She said aloud and to herself. "Essentials of survival are linked to various time periods of three."

It was a very important issue to keep in mind, and fortunately, Elsa had always been good at recalling details about what she had read, even if it was a long time ago. She began to list off the survival points in her head, starting with the most urgent.

_Three minutes without air._

She quickly realized that this wouldn't be a concern, after all, she was on dry land. If she were still drifting out on the ocean, drowning might have been a danger, but here she was fine.

_Three hours without shelter._

_Well I just took care of that problem, didn't I._ She thought to herself. Her powers could enable her to make any kind of shelter she wanted, she could even build another massive palace if she so desired, therefore, this problem was covered too. Even if she didn't make herself a shelter, she realized that this survival rule was typically to protect one's self from the cold. Being unfazed by the cold, she really didn't have to worry about it anyway.

_Three days without water._

This was, fortunately, another issue that was solved through her unique abilities and would not be a problem. Over the past day she had drank a considerable amount of water created through her own magic. It took no effort to do and would last her as long as was required.

_Three weeks without food._

"And there's my first problem." She said to herself.

It was one thing to keep herself hydrated, but she could still feel her stomach grumbling on occasion, begging for some solid food. At first she considered just eating snow, much like the snow cones her and Anna occasionally enjoyed as kids on hot summer days when their parents took them out to the town. However, she quickly rejected the possibility when she realized that it was essentially no different than drinking water. After all, the purpose of food was the nutrition, and water didn't provide that.

Letting out a sigh, Elsa lied down on her back with her face directly below the opening in the roof. It was considerably darker now than it had been earlier and she could start to see the slight appearance of the stars. Looking up at the night sky always relaxed her, and even in her current situation, it provided comfort.

"Tomorrow, I go look for food." There had to be something edible on this island. Right?

She certainly hoped so, because chances are she might be here for a while. Dying of starvation did not sound like a particularly pleasant way to go, and she would very much like to avoid it.

"At least it won't be a serious issue for a number of days." Which meant that for the moment, all of her survival essentials were met.

_But what about companionship?_ She suddenly thought to herself. _How long can a person survive without other people around them?_

The thought surprised her, because being alone was not something new for Elsa. Growing up in almost complete isolation for thirteen years of her life meant that she was not at all uncomfortable with being by herself for an extended period of time. _This_ isolation, however, was a bit different. Before, she was only separated from people by a door. Even though she was alone in her room most of the time, with only making occasional trips to the library to have lessons with a private tutor, she always knew that if she _really_ wanted to, or if there was an emergency, she could step into the hallway and go find someone. But out here, stranded all by herself on this nameless and uncharted island, there was literally no one else whatsoever. Even though she led an incredibly solitary life, she was never farther from other people than she was right now.

The strangest thing about Elsa's whole situation was that she honestly couldn't decide whether she enjoyed the isolation or not. It's true that she was starting to get the hang of being around people more, especially since the gates had been permanently opened, but deep down, she still knew that she preferred solitude over a crowd. And right now, with the memory of what she had done to Rasmus still lingering in her mind, she felt that staying far away from other people would be best. It was the same feeling she had when she ran away to the North Mountain all those months ago, except this time, she was even farther from civilization.

But, perhaps her sub-conscious mind was telling her that she really _did_ want the companionship of others. The castle staff, the occasional visiting dignitary, even the Arendelle Council, which could aggravate her to no end sometimes, seemed like they would make for nice company right now. Not to mention her friends and family. Kristoff, Olaf, Rapunzel, Eugene, and of course, Anna.

_Anna..._

The thought of her younger sister sent a wave of sorrow through her. Not because she missed her, which was part of it, but because she realized for the first time since she had been here, that Anna was probably freaking out. The Boreas had most likely searched for her after the Odin had exploded, and when they did not find her, they would have assumed she was dead! Meaning Anna was probably overcome with grief right now at the thought of her being lost at sea... just like her parents.

The thought of Anna, back in the castle, thinking she was dead, made Elsa far more sad than her own predicament ever could. She didn't care if _she_ was unhappy or alone, she partially felt she deserved it, but Anna... Anna didn't deserve any of this. And it wasn't just the separation from each other that would be so devastating to her. Elsa knew that the responsibilities which would be suddenly thrust upon Anna will leave her overwhelmed. She didn't want all of the responsibilities of being queen when it was her time to take the throne, so she certainly didn't want her little sister to have to deal with them all by herself.

"But I suppose she's not completely alone..." Elsa whispered to herself through her tears.

Anna had Kristoff, and Elsa knew Kristoff was always willing to help, even if he knew practically nothing about running a kingdom either. Elsa was telling the truth back at the wedding when she said that she was proud to consider Kristoff a family member. He was, after all, her brother now, and she couldn't ask for a better man to fill the role. But at the moment, that provided little comfort, because she knew Anna would still be very sad. And knowing that the typically jovial girl was currently unhappy, pained Elsa to no end.

As she continued to stare up at the night sky, a shooting star, faint but noticeable, flew by overhead. Elsa had once read that people often considered such a sight to be somewhat supernatural and would often provide the basis for the observer to 'make a wish'. Being a person with a mind based very much in logic, she did not fully believe that hopes were any more likely to occur when wished upon a star, but if her own magical abilities were anything to go by, perhaps there was some way that her deepest wish, her most desperate hope at the moment, would come true through this seemingly _magical_ way.

"Oh Anna," She spoke to the sky. "I wish that somehow, you knew I was still here... that I haven't left you."

It was a long-shot, but as she slowly let sleep overtake her, Elsa felt just a tiny bit more comfort from the thought that her sister might have not given up entirely on her. That she would see her again.

* * *

Looking out at the same starry sky from her bedroom balcony in Arendelle, Anna leaned against the railing, trying to relax by ridding her mind of all the procedures and schedules she had to go through over the past several hours for her coronation tomorrow. As she looked up, a shooting star flew by, visible for only a second, but it stood out against the static backdrop of infinite blackness. She couldn't explain why, but as she watched it, she felt a tiny bit of happiness creep back into her, happiness that had not been present within her for the past several days.

Just before she turned to go back into her room and head off to bed, she felt a little bit of hope again. Hope that perhaps the current situation would turn out for the better after all.

* * *

**A/N:** Another update with Elsa!

A bit of a shorter chapter this time, mainly because the next chapter and this one were too long to bunch together. Hopefully you all aren't' getting bored due to the 'lack of action' compared to the ending of _Retribution, _ because I assure you, action is coming up!

And thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed the story! Your support keeps me going!


	39. Chapter 7 - The Cost of Information

Chapter 7 - The Cost of Information

_April 16, 1794_

Captain Jorgensen was standing on the Deck of his ship observing the sight of the sight of the Weselton vessel, The Viper, coming closer into view. It had been over a week since he had laid eyes on the ship, and although he was eager to collect the payment he had been promised for the successful completion of his assignment, he was not looking forward to having further dealings with the sniveling duke who was certainly still aboard.

Bringing his smaller ship up alongside of the larger Weselton vessel, Captain Jorgensen ordered his crew to hold their position here while the Viper extended a gangplank over to the deck of the Mustela, inviting them aboard. Looking over to the Weselton guards who were lining the railing of the red and gold trimmed vessel, Jorgensen cautiously walked across the plank that bridged the gap over the water. Behind him, one of his men carried the box that they had discovered on the island. He wore oven mitts in order to protect his hands form the cold that was still being emanated from the box. Although it looked somewhat comical, they were the most suitable objects on the ship to provide the necessary insulation.

Not a word was spoken by anyone aboard the Viper as their hired privateer made his way across the deck towards the Duke, who as standing near the middle of the ship, waiting with two large men immediately behind him. The duke considered these men his 'bodyguards', as he took them with him wherever he went, but in actuality they were the two highest ranking military officers in Weselton.

The larger of the two, General Ghemor, was a burly and imposing man with thick mutton chops that connected into his moustache. He was the commander of Weselton's army and had a great deal of experience with ground combat. The other man, Admiral Bronok, was slightly shorter and a bit thinner, but was still a fairly tall and threatening. His face had less facial hair which made him look partially like the younger brother to the General, but his appearance concealed his considerable experience on the sea as well as his formidable knowledge of naval warfare.

Being absolutely loyal to the Duke, and also being two men with a very hands-on approach to military work, they gladly stood by the Duke's side whenever he requested them. Their last mission with the Duke was in Arendelle during Queen Elsa's coronation where they had posed themselves as simple bodyguards, as they typically did in a foreign country. Now that the current mission took place in open waters and aboard one of their own ships, the men were dressed in their full military uniforms, donning medals and decorations of past victories.

Despite the situation, Jorgensen was not a man to be afraid of much, except the discovery on the island a few days ago which genuinely had him concerned. He walked up to the duke and his two men, bowing in an ever so slightly sarcastic way.

"Duke." He began as he raised his head back up from the quick bow. "Always a pleasure to see you. It's comforting to know that no matter how far one travels across the North Sea, there is always a Weselton vessel nearby." Jorgensen smiles at his own comment, not using a tone of sarcasm in his words, but the meaning was still conveyed. He had no fondness for Weselton.

"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Captain." The Duke replied. "Did you accomplish the task I gave you?"

"Yes I did. As a matter of fact..." Jorgensen began to turn to gesture at his crewman standing behind him still holding the box with the Ice Stone, but he was cut off by the Duke.

"Then report on your findings. Tell me everything you saw. I want specifics."

The Duke was wasting no time. His eagerness annoyed Jorgensen, but he had little choice but to nod respectively and provide an account of what he had observed over the past number of days.

"Very well." The Captain answered. "I found the target vessel on the 7th of April. They had just departed from an island and were on course in a southerly direction."

"What Island? What was on it?" Interrupted the Duke again.

"It was an island that is known to be populated by savage natives." Jorgensen answered, hiding his irritation at the Duke's continued interruptions. "I did not arrive until they were leaving so I'm not sure what they were doing there. Regardless, the island holds no strategic value. They were probably just curious about it."

Willing to accept that, the Duke motioned for him to continue. "Alright. Go on."

"I trailed the vessel at extreme distance for another day. From what we could calculate they were heading for Corona, but at one point they suddenly adjusted their course. Their new destination was the Southern Isles."

The Admiral and General listened intently to Jorgensen's story along with the Duke.

"On the 10th they arrived in Southern Isles waters. We, for obvious reasons, stayed well out of their territory, but kept a close watch on all outgoing vessels while we waited. Early morning the next day, the target ship came flying out of the Southern Isles at great speed. Their heading suggested they were running home. Back to Arendelle."

"And you followed them?" General Ghemor asked him.

"Naturally." Jorgensen replied, not at all intimidated by the man. "Maintaining a distance so great that they could not spot us, we followed them all the way to the Ålborg. The fog was particularly thick that day. We went around, sped past them and were going to wait for them to emerge on the far side."

Jorgensen paused for a moment, leaving the Duke to become impatient.

"And?!" He yelled, demanding the report continue.

"And... They went in, but they did not come out."

"What?" The Duke questioned. "Do you mean they sunk somewhere in the fog?"

"No." Replied Jorgensen. "At first we thought they got turned around in the fog, lost and unable to find their way out, but then we began to hear the sounds of cannon shots from within the mist. They were far off and muffled, but it was most certainly the sounds of a battle."

"Then who were they fighting?" Admiral Bronok asked.

"My guess would be the Southern Isles." Answered the Captain. "They were fleeing from their territory rather quickly. Perhaps they were intercepted?"

The Duke's Admiral considered this. It did make sense. If the target ship had aggravated the Southern Isles in some way to warrant a sudden escape, they might have been tracked down and engaged in combat on their way back to Arendelle.

"And of course, you didn't see _who_ it was at all, correct?" The Duke questioned, not having expected Jorgensen to put the extra effort into his assignment if it wasn't what he was being paid for.

"Of course not. I'm not about to put my vessel in-between two warring sides. After all, it wasn't my fight." He paused for another moment before raising his hand to signal he had more to say. "But, while we waited from a safe distance, something peculiar happened. About half way through their battle, the entire blanket of fog was suddenly blown away by strong winds."

The Duke was not completely surprised by this news. He had expected his hired aid to encounter strange phenomena over the course of his assignment.

"And why was _that_ peculiar? Couldn't the winds have simply picked up?" He offered, trying to blow it off as nothing important.

"These were not natural winds, as I'm sure your esteemed Admiral would have been able to verify if he had been there." Jorgensen gestured to Bronok as the man shifted his stance in response.

"What happened next?" The Duke barked. "Did you sight the primary target?

"I'm getting to that."The Captain replied with a smirk on his face. "The sounds of battle continued for a while longer, then stopped abruptly. A few minutes later, there was a massive explosion. I don't know which ship was destroyed. It took a while to narrow down exactly where the battle had taken place. By the time we found the spot, the only thing left was debris."

The Duke, Bronok, and Ghemor started to become agitated after hearing this.

"So you lost them?" The Duke's toupee bounced atop his head as he became flustered and hopped up slightly in anger. "You lost the ship and as a result lost hope of tracking the woman!"

"Now, I didn't say that." Jorgensen put his hands up in a defensive gesture, but maintained the smirk on his face. He was still very confident considering what he had found. "We thoroughly searched the debris, and tracked it as it drifted to an island. On this island, we found... things of interest."

"Such as?" Asked the Duke.

"Such as," Jorgensen reached into his pocket and pulled out the torn piece of fabric that was attached to the debris he had found on the island. "This."

He handed the cloth to the Duke, who took it and examined it closely. He recognized the colors and the patterns on the stitching were identical to those of his target. Those of Queen Elsa.

Jorgensen continued talking as he closely watched the Duke's expression. He knew that the cloth was recognized. "That fabric was attached to a piece of debris laying on the beach. Leading away from the debris, were footprints. Meaning whoever that belonged to, is still alive."

"It would appear so." The Duke crumpled the cloth in his hands as he thought the situation over. His whole plan at first was to get the Queen alone and far away from Arendelle in some way, then he could capture her without having to declare open war. Her loss would look like an accident at sea, and no one would question it.

But now, things were different, and it just so happened to work out even more perfectly. If Elsa was in fact on that island, alone and missing in the eyes of her kingdom, it would be the perfect opportunity for him. It would be a simple matter of going to that island, capturing her, and making sure no one would find her, ever again.

"That's not all." Jorgensen continued, interrupting the Duke's thoughts. "Near where we found that fabric, we also found a box." The Captain motioned for his crewman to come forward and present the box to the Duke. He came up to stand between them and slowly lifted the lid.

"It was buried slightly beneath the surface. The sand all around it was frozen solid."

The Duke stared intently at the glowing blue stone within the frosty box. To his right, the General stared as well and slowly began to reach out for the object.

"I wouldn't touch it." Jorgensen called out, his sudden outburst halting the General's actions. "It's extremely cold. Even touching the box hurts your fingers."

The three Weselton men continued to stare into the box being held by Jorgensen's crewman. Small streams of frost were being slowly emanated from the stone. Some The men could feel the biting cold even from the distance they were standing as they watched the odd snowflake gently flutter out form the box and down to the deck of the ship.

Jorgensen gave a nod to the crewman, silently telling him to close the lid of the box again. He did so and pulled it back closer to him as he walked over to stand beside his Captain. As the man retreated, the Duke recognized the symbol carved and stained into the lid of the box. It was the crest of Arendelle. He knew the stone was connected to the queen in some way, and he had to have it.

"Well." The Duke began. "That is certainly... fascinating." In reality he was far more than just _fascinated_ by the stone, but he did not want to seem too ecstatic about the discovery.

"It most certainly is." Answered Jorgensen. "And has no doubt confirmed that we have succeeded in the completion of our assignment?"

The question posed to the Duke was one that implied Jorgensen was done with providing information and was now requesting the payment he had been promised. The Duke recognized this and put on his negotiating face again. Conducting business was one of his specialties, especially when he had the opposing party right where he wanted them.

"You have completed your task, yes." Said the Duke. "So hand over that box, provide me with the coordinates of this island, and we will give you your payment."

The experienced pirate knew very well about all of the dirty tricks that could go down during a negotiation like this. He had, after all, used many of them himself. So he was not going to fall for any tricks the Duke intended to play. With a smirk on his face he replied with another option.

"Oh I don't think so." The Admiral and General on either side of the Duke took very slight steps forward at hearing Jorgensen's refusal. The rest of the crew of the Viper also turned to face the standoff.

"I saw the way you looked at that stone." The Captain went on. "You want it. Badly. But I don't intend to hand it over until I have our payment in my arms."

There was silence across the deck for a few seconds. The tension in the air was palpable as the Duke and Captain Jorgensen stared each other down.

"And what's stopping me from just taking it by force?" The Duke questioned. He then turned his head to General Ghemor. "Get that box."

The General drew his sword and began to walk towards Jorgensen and the crewman with the box. Before he made it more than a few steps the Captain upped the stakes even more.

"If anyone tries to take this box or makes any threatening move against my ship or my crew, I will throw it overboard. Good luck finding it at the bottom of the ocean."

"The box stayed afloat after it fell into the water the first time." Admiral Bronok commented. "What makes you think it won't do the same now?"

"Probably because of the iron plate attached to the bottom of it." Replied the Mustela crewman holding the box. He tilted the bottom of it up slightly to reveal a thick piece of iron plating tied securely around the bottom of the box. Jorgensen had ordered it to be attached there in case he needed to use the stone as leverage. And now, he was glad he did.

"And the coordinates to the island are written on a piece of paper within the box. None of us have memorized it, so even if you capture us, you won't find out it's location." Commented Jorgensen. "So what'll it be, Duke? Are you willing to send some men for a swim? Or would you rather just pay us what you promised?

The deck was silent for a moment again. The General had stopped his advance towards the guests on the deck and stood still again, turning his head back to look at the Duke for orders. Reluctantly, the grey-haired man decided he had no other option. With a quick nod to the Admiral, who silently walked back out of sight, he acquiesced to the Pirate's terms.

"Very well. You will get your payment." The Duke maintained his smug and superior stance as the Admiral returned holding a small rectangular wooden box. It was made of thin wood and not nearly as fancy as the box containing the Ice Stone.

"But you must put the object down on the deck between us before I give you anything." The Duke's terms were absolute. He would not negotiate any farther than this.

Fortunately, Jorgensen was satisfied enough to decide it was an acceptable compromise. He nodded to the man beside him who then took a few steps forward and set the box with the Ice Stone down on the deck. As soon as he did, the temperature of the box caused a small ring of frost to start creeping across the moist wooden deck of the Viper.

Once it was down, Admiral Bronok tossed the box he was holding over to Jorgensen who caught it and opened it to look inside. What he saw immediately disappointed him.

"This is less than half of what we agreed upon!" He pointed to his crewman and gestured to the Ice Stone's box again, wanting him to retrieve it. Unfortunately, the General had already scooted the box across the deck and closer to the Duke with the tip of his sword before Jorgensen could react.

"Is it?" The Duke questioned, turning his back on the Captain. The General then moved forward accompanied by a dozen men and began to crowd around the two pirates standing on their ship. Slowly, they backed them over to the gangplank which was still extended between the two vessels.

Not seeing any way out of his situation, Captain Jorgensen decided that retreat was the most profitable course of action at the moment. At least he had half of his money, but if he were to try and fight, he would most likely end up with none.

Silently walking back over to their own ship, Jorgensen and his crewman watched as the Viper retracted the gangplank and started to pull away from alongside the Mustela. If he could have fought his way out of this, he would have. But his ship was simply no match for the larger Weselton vessel.

Back on the Viper, up near the ship's wheel, The Duke proudly stood watching the small privateer ship which was still close to his own. The Admiral walked up to him but he did not take his eyes off Jorgensen's ship.

"Your orders, My Lord? Bronok asked.

The Duke replied quickly with a devilish smile on his face.

"One of the most important aspects of this endeavour is to ensure there are no witnesses." He turned to look at the Admiral as he walked down towards the main deck again. "Destroy them."

The crew of the Mustela had barely gotten a chance to begin raising the sails when the sound of cannon-fire and splintering wood erupted all around them. Jorgensen stood in horror as he watched the hull of his ship being mercilessly assaulted by the Viper's 32 pound cannons. He was unable to retaliate. The lightly armed ship would be useless in a fight against this enemy.

He shouted for his crew to abandon ship, trying to be heard over the deafening explosions all around him. As he jumped into the water, all he could think of was the face of the Duke, who was most likely sitting smugly in his cabin on the Viper as he and his men were being murdered in cold blood.

And the Duke was doing just that. Planning his next move and not paying any attention to the sounds of yelling coming from across the water.


	40. Chapter 8 - A Reluctant Coronation

Chapter 8 - A Reluctant Coronation

Anna was standing in her room with servants and other members of the castle's staff buzzing all around her. She was being jostled around slightly as four of her attendees were making final adjustments to her clothing and hair in time for the ceremony which would start in a little while. It was preparation for a day Anna thought she would only ever have to see once or twice in her entire life, and now she was about to be part of a second one within a year.

It was coronation day.

Although, this time, _she _ was the one being crowned. She _really_ never expected that. And she really didn't want it either, because of all that it meant. That _she_ was now responsible for her kingdom, that _she_ was now going to have to make all of the big decisions... that Elsa was really gone.

Events of the past twenty-four hours played over in Anna's mind. The meeting with Tollak, the frantic decoration and party planning the castle's staff had to go through, and the practice ceremony Anna had last night with the Bishop. Hopefully she would remember the procedure of the events so that she wouldn't make some kind of clumsy mistake.

She was good at that. Tripping or bumping into something while all eyes were on her. She didn't want that to happen.

A knock on the door brought Anna back into reality. Not even waiting for someone to grand him access, Kristoff walked into Anna's room. He found what he saw to be quite funny. Anna standing in the middle of her room, arms stretched out to either side, being swarmed by a cloud of servants who were tugging at clothes, fixing hair, and applying makeup.

He was also generally stunned at the sight of Anna at the moment. She was wearing one of Elsa's outfits. A never-worn duplicate of her coronation dress that had been made as a spare in case the primary one was soiled in some way, allowing her to quickly change into it if necessary. It had been given a quick alteration in order to fit Anna's slightly smaller frame and it now looked as though it had been made for her in the first place.

"Wow. I'm... impressed." Kristoff spoke as he looked at his wife.

Anna gave a weak smile in response. "Kinda funny huh? How the 'spare' queen's dress is being used on 'the spare'?" Anna commented, referring to herself as 'the spare' as she had other times in the past. A somewhat belittling term she used when she felt a bit down on herself.

"You're not 'the spare'." Kristoff corrected, closing the door behind him and walking closer to Anna.

"You're right." She replied with her head lowered. "At lest... not anymore." She paused for a moment and slowly lifted her chin towards Kristoff again. "I never really knew how much I didn't mind being the spare... until now."

Kristoff knew Anna was not going to be particularly ecstatic about today's events, and in reality, he couldn't blame her. He was happy for her, of course, but he also shared her sadness, knowing that her current rise to the title of Queen was only because Elsa had been lost. From what little research Kristoff had done in recent months regarding the history of Arendelle and neighboring kingdoms, he realised that Anna would be only one of many heirs who took their place reluctantly after the unexpected death of a family member. She was not at all alone in that regard.

"You know," Kristoff began, hoping to alleviate some of Anna's tension. "someone once said: 'Great leaders do not seek power, they have power thrust upon them'."

Anna could identify with that little quote rather well, and she found it somewhat comforting, despite its seemingly clichéd nature.

"And who said that?" She asked, an ever so slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she looked into Kristoff's eyes.

"I did." He replied with a smirk. "Although I'm sure an important person has used those words at some point in history."

The redhead let out a chuckle in response, still trying to ignore the servants orbiting around her. "You're not unimportant, Kristoff. And speaking of which, have you made a decision yet?"

Kristoff figured Anna would bring this up. He'd hoped to get in a little more chatter before she did, bus so much for that.

"You mean whether or not I should become 'King' or 'Prince Consort'?" He replied, slowly turning to start pacing the room. "To be honest, I still don't know. I know that it's only a title and it doesn't change anything between us... but it's like what Tollak said; we need to decide what would be best for Arendelle's outward appearance."

Anna could see the gears turning in his head. It was clearly something that was pressing on his mind.

"You've been thinking a lot about it, haven't you?"

"Well of course," He answered, stopping his pacing to face her. "I've gone from being nobody, to being the boyfriend of a Princess, to being a Prince, and now potentially to being a King! And all in less than a year! It's a little overwhelming."

Anna gave an understanding nod as she looked off to stare absently to her side. Kristoff started up at her, realizing that she knew _exactly _what he was feeling, and even more. He walked over to her again.

"I suppose we're both a little overwhelmed today, huh?" He asked.

Looking at him again, she replied with another weak smile. "Yeah, a little."

Avoiding the servants still working to get Anna ready, Kristoff placed his hand on the purple fabric of the cape that adorned her shoulders and gave her a reassuring smile.

"We'll get through this. Together."

"Together." She repeated, feeling a slight surge of confidence from his words.

Just as they were staring into each other's eyes, the servants all took a step back from Anna, signaling they were done. They looked upon her as if she were a work of art that had been carefully crafted to perfection, a contrast from what she normally tended to resemble after a long day running around town or off riding Sven through the woods with Kristoff.

"You look beautiful." Kristoff told her, removing his hand from her shoulder and standing back to admire her fully.

"Thank you." She replied, while desperately trying to hold back tears that would undoubtedly ruin the makeup that had taken the servants hours and hours to get right.

Without letting to much silence pass between them, the elder servant of the bunch spoke up, uttering the words Anna had been dreading to hear all day now.

"It's time."

* * *

The scene in the chapel was much as it was exactly thirty-eight weeks prior, at Queen Elsa's coronation. The high-arched ceiling room was decorated fancily and was filled with people who all stood up as the choir began to sing. Unlike how it was for Elsa, the crowd in the chapel this time consisted almost entirely of Arendelle's citizens, with the occasional foreign dignitary such as Eugene, Rapunzel, and Eckhard, the Captain of the Solstice. This was due to the coronation being announced so suddenly, leaving no time for invitations to be sent out, and certainly no time for anyone to come all the way to witness the event.

Anna certainly didn't mind this. She felt far more comfortable with a local crowd as opposed to a bunch of people she didn't know at all. It was true that she didn't personally know everyone in the kingdom, and didn't even know everyone in the chapel at the moment, but a more private ceremony still put her at ease.

At least, _a bit._

She was still a nervous wreck. As she walked down the red-carpeted center aisle, between the rows of pews and towards the front of the chapel, she tried to ignore all the eyes on her and focus on getting through this ordeal without making a mistake.

_Keep my eyes forward._

_Don't walk too fast._

_Keep my hands in front of me._

_Be mindful of the cape._

_DON'T TRIP!_

She went over a list of things in her mind as she got closer and closer to her destination. The Bishop, dressed in the same red and purple robes that he had been last time, was waiting up at the dais for Anna to arrive. Beside him, exactly where _she _ had been standing for Elsa's coronation, was Kristoff. He wore a dark green suit that Anna just couldn't seem to take seriously. Sure, he looked very handsome and the suit was tailored perfectly to his rather burly figure, but she would always have a hard time stifling a giggle when she saw him in what he referred to as 'fancy clothes'.

And glancing over at Kristoff, standing there waiting patiently with a gentle smile on his face, was all it took to calm her down again. Suddenly, the people all staring at her were no longer intimidating, and the instructions buzzing around in her head were no longer there, replaced instead by her body seeming to carry them all out on its own.

And before she knew it, she had arrived. Her legs had even taken her up the three steps at the front of the chapel without tripping over them, which for Anna, was quite an accomplishment indeed.

The choir continued to sing as Anna stood in front of the Bishop who turned to grab a small silver tiara off the table behind him. It was very similar to the one Elsa was crowned with, except this one was not made of gold. The council assured Anna that a gold one would be made for her as soon as possible, although truth be told, she didn't think it was necessary and really mind what it was made of.

Much like the dress she was wearing, this crown was a spare, made in case the actual crown were ever lost. At the moment, 'lost' is exactly where it was. Elsa had been wearing it when she went over to the Odin to fight Rasmus. As a result, it had never returned to Arendelle aboard the Boreas. It was not the first time the Queen had been without her proper crown. When Elsa had thrown her tiara out the door and off the balcony of her ice palace on the North Mountain, an entire search party had to be put together to go look for it once she had returned. The process was made even more difficult when the crown was found to be sitting atop Elsa's giant snow guardian, Marshmallow. The Queen herself had to trek up the mountain in order to convince him to give her back the crown. In return, she made him one of ice and appointed him official guardian of her palace.

Anna smiled at the memory, remembering how Elsa was the only one who could ever get Marshmallow to follow any kind of orders. Perhaps it was because, in a way, she was like his mother. To her knowledge, he was still up there right now. Oblivious to the fact that her sister, _his mother_, was gone.

_Somebody's gotta tell him._ _And it should be me._

Lost in her own thoughts, she almost forgot to bow her head as the Bishop raised the crown up to signal he was ready to place it upon her. She leaned forward and lowered her head, closing her eyes to try and calm herself again, as the Bishop placed the tiara snugly in-between the crown-twist bun at the front of her perfectly styled hair.

Standing up straight again, she let out a small breath as she re-opened her eyes.

_Almost done. Just one more step then it's over... This part of it anyway._

The bishop turned to the table again and picked up the pillow that held the royal orb and scepter. These _very_ special items never left the castle's walls, so they were fortunately not lost at sea along with some of the kingdom's other important possessions.

As Anna looked down at the two golden items, she remembered noting how reluctant Elsa had been about picking them up. At the time, she thought it was just due to being nervous, but she later found out it was because of her sister's powers. For fear that she would freeze solid the sacred items in her hands while in front of everyone present.

Anna had no such powers to conceal, so _that_ wasn't worrying her. Her fears were based entirely on being very, _very, _nervous. When she picked up those objects and turned around, she would be displaying an image that would define her as a ruler for not only the rest of her life, but for the rest of her kingdom's existence. A portrait of that very moment would be created and hung on the walls right next to the one's for the previous Kings and Queens of Arendelle.

The mental image of her portrait hanging next to Elsa's, which was hanging next to that of her Father, terrified her far more than the thought of tripping or falling during this ceremony. If she made a mistake now she would only be embarrassed for a little while, but with her portrait hanging up on that wall, any mistake she made _ as a monarch_ would be remembered forever! The knowledge of her less-than-graceful rule would be passed down throughout history... Not a particularly pleasant way to be remembered.

This was, of course, all counterproductive worrying that didn't help her current situation. Whether she would have a prosperous rule or not wouldn't change the fact that she had to go through with this.

_This... This... What do I have to do next?_

"Your Majesty." The Bishop whispered, jolting Anna out of her own thoughts again.

She looked up at him and then back down to the orb and scepter which were still sitting on the pillow held in front of her.

_Oh, right... That._ She thought, mentally kicking herself for blowing the opportunity to make it through this without making a single mistake.

She reached forward with both hands to grab the sacred objects. One way her current outfit differed from Elsa's during her coronation was that Anna wore no gloves. Since she would have had to take them off for this part of the ceremony anyway, she saw no need to bother wearing them at all. Ever since the events of nine months ago, she didn't really like the idea of gloves. What they represented was simply too painful.

With the golden orb in her left hand and the scepter in her right, she took a deep breath and turned to face the crowd who all respectively stood up once again. As they did, the Bishop began to recite the words that would officially confirm her new position.

"Sem hón heldr inum helgum eignum ok krýnd í þessum helga stað ek té fram fyrir yðr..."

Anna heard the words in the back of her mind as though she were listening through a pair of earmuffs. She knew the speech word for word and understood its importance, but at the moment, her mind was trying it's best to keep her calm. Staring straight ahead and, once again, trying to ignore all the eyes on her. She was so focused on blocking people out that she almost missed the conclusion of the Bishop's speech.

"...Queen Anna, of Arendelle."

And that was it. She was not a princess anymore.

No longer would she be referred to as 'Your Highness'. From now on it was, 'Your Majesty'. The phrase spoken by the Bishop a few seconds ago to wake her from her lapse in concentration would be the first of many times she would hear the new greeting that was appropriate for her status as Queen.

Everyone, including Kristoff who was still standing to her side, and Rapunzel and Eugene who were sitting in the front row of the chapel, all repeated the Bishop's words to acknowledge the transfer of power.

"Queen Anna, of Arendelle!" Polite cheers and a multitude of claps were heard throughout the room. Anna turned back around to place the golden objects back on the pillow. Unlike with Elsa who had rushed to set them back as quickly as possible, Anna almost forgot she was holding them.

Facing the crowd again, she finally let a smile creep across her face. She looked to Rapunzel who was leaning lightly against Eugene while trying to hold back tears. She then looked over her left shoulder to Kristoff who was clapping along with the rest of the audience. He smiled back at her, conveying without words just how proud he was of her for what she was doing. This, in turn, caused her own smile to grow, as she realized that Elsa, if she were here, would have been equally as proud of her. And that thought, combined with the loving smile of her husband standing up on the dais with her, provided more comfort than she could have ever hoped for.

Perhaps that portrait of her, which would soon be hanging on the walls within the castle, was not something to be worried about after all, but rather was something to take joy in. Joy in the knowledge that, in a way, she was becoming closer to the family that had been taken from her. Closer to them by filling the roles that they left behind. That made it even more important to her that she carry out the role successfully.

_And I will._ She thought to herself. _ I will make them proud._

* * *

**A/N: ** All hail Queen Anna!

Now this chapter was a bit tough to write. I wanted to get it out yesterday, but I simply didn't finish in time. Oh well, it's here now!

There was something I forgot to do last chapter, and I really wanted to. The ever supportive reviewer _H. G. Wells_ wondered about the origins of Captain Jorgensen, the privateer/pirate from the previous chapters. I actually based his character on the real life man _Jorgen Jorgensen_, a Danish explorer and privateer who sailed the waters of the North Sea in the late 1700's and early 1800's.

It should be interesting to note that I intend to bring another famous pirate from this era into the story in a later chapter. Just who that is will remain a mystery for now...

As for _this_ chapter, I hope everyone enjoyed it. Don't forget to leave a review! I love to hear what you all think about the progression of the story. I'm also open to suggestions of future ideas, criticism on what parts were well written and what parts need improvement, and even hints if you notice a spelling or grammatical error I have missed.

As always, thanks for reading!


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